1 week Ago By Chris Chamberlain
Back in February, I gave y’all the heads-up that a new Ford Fry restaurant project was coming to town , and I think my excitement was palpable. Well now that I can officially announce an opening date for Little Rey , I’m positively pumped! A New Ford Fry Restaurant Is Coming to West End Little Rey will make you forget all about Qdoba Monday, April 14, will be Day 1 of a new era of dining in Midtown as Little Rey chars its first chicken and pulls its first marg in Nashville, joining the other Little Rey locations — Atlanta, Houston and Raleigh, N.C.
Backing like a hermit crab into the former location of Qdoba at 2019 West End Ave., Little Rey will occupy almost 5,000 square feet of indoor space, plus a large patio up front and a smaller “Secret Garden” in back. Former Qdoba fans probably won’t recognize the place now that the restaurant group’s design team has stripped back the walls and ceiling to expose the original bricks and wooden supports of the 1930s-era building.
Wood is more than just a decor item at Little Rey; it’s also the primary fuel source for the restaurant's famous chicken al carbon, which is the basis of many menu items, from street tacos to pozole rojo. Whole and half birds will also be available for carryout (so you can skip that grocery store rotisserie chicken in the future). Little Rey features an all-day menu, as long as you can wait until 11 a.
m. during the week to enjoy breakfast tacos a nd huevos rancheros. (They do plan to open a couple hours earlier for weekend brunch, which will include Little Rey’s legendary pancakes.
) Other fun details at Little Rey include two varieties of margaritas (a house special and a ruby red grapefruit edition), plus rotating soft-serve flavors and fried plantains as sweet treats. Also offered are house-made aguas frescas and a wide selection of Mexican beers on tap and in cans. To introduce Little Rey to the neighborhood, chef-owner Ford Fry and his team are throwing a little pre-opening party 5 to 9 p.
m. this Saturday, April 12. They’ll be handing out free food, including queso, street-style tacos, smoked chicken wings tossed in salsa macha and more.
Drinks will be available for purchase. Other entertainment will include face-painting for the kids and a DJ to keep the party pumping. So head on down and welcome the new little king to the neighborhood!.
