Chicken Scratch

One of my favorite new restaurants is a tiny little place outside of downtown called Chicken Scratch. The recently opened restaurant is the brainchild of Chef Tim Byres, of Smoke fame, so right from the start I was expecting big things.

This hot spot is noticeably out of place in the city of Dallas with its quiet and inviting courtyard, hollowed-out freight containers for seating and soundstage made entirely of shipping palettes. As you sit in the wide open courtyard on a warm summer night, you can’t help but feel like you are somewhere perhaps a little bit more exotic than a small city block (next to a trailer park) just a mile away from the upscale city skyline.

The atmosphere is just great, and the food is even better. Chicken Scratch’s specialities are pan-fried chicken, amazing hand-made side dishes, and the best biscuits you’ll find for a long while.Seriously.

They also have their own generic soda on tap. The root beer was already out the last time we went, but they had a great grape soda that was next in line. Bravo.