Fat Chicken rises from Trinity Groves ashes to roost in new Rockwall location

Restaurateurs DJ Quintanilla and Linda Mazzei were taken by surprise when their equity partners at Trinity Groves pulled the plug on Fat Chicken last December. The fried chicken and pie shop seemed to be gaining traction in the space that they’d formerly operated a casual restaurant called Resto Gastro Bistro.

Quintanilla and Mazzei called last week to announce they’d found a new roost for Fat Chicken: a former pizza joint at 3045 N. Goliad St. in Rockwall. The duo plan to debut the new space later this month.

“It’ll be very similar to our original Fat Chicken but with a more casual feel, more geared to families,” Quintanilla says. “The menu will have fried chicken and pies, but we wont serve the expensive pork chops or lobster corn dogs like at Trinity Groves. We want families to come.”

“We’ll also be adding meatloaf and short ribs,” Mazzei says. “Foods that families want to eat.”

Quintanilla says the menu at Fat Chicken will evolve to fit the needs of the neighborhood.

“We want to be part of the community,” he says.

photo: fat chicken