Ogden Brings Funky Chicken and Fine Diner to Heights

In an interview last week, Tony Angotti, managing partner for Bradley Ogden Hospitality, revealed that Vegas-based chef Bradley Ogden will open his first two Houston restaurants in April or May. The restaurants are called Funky Chicken and Bradley's Fine Diner; they will be located in the same shopping center at 810 Heights and 910 Heights, just south of I-10 near the new Walmart. Angotti says that Bradley's son Bryan will move to Houston in the next few weeks to launch both restaurants. In keeping with the James Beard Award winner's reputation for farm-to-table dining, both restaurants will serve organic meat and produce.

Funky Chicken is a fast casual, family friend restaurant that will serve roasted and fried chicken, chicken sandwiches, salads, chicken pot pie and appropriate sides. The restaurant will also have beer and wine. All of the chicken is free range, organic and hormone free. The 73 seat restaurant will have a "rustic" appearance and is designed to be a place that diners could visit once per week or more for breakfast, lunch or dinner. If it proves successful, Ogden is prepared to open at least one additional location.

Bradley's Fine Diner is pitched as an "upscale casual concept" featuring Ogden's favorite comfort dishes and will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch on the weekends. A proposed menu shows a diverse array of options with vegetarian, meat and seafood choices. For examples, sliders might be eggplant, beef, cod, smoked salmon or grilled cheese. All of the menu items are under $20. The restaurant will have a full bar, and Angotti indicates the restaurant will serve craft beer.

Ogden's coming to Houston continues the trend of chefs from other cities coming here to open restaurants. Last year, Atlanta chef Chris Kinjo and San Diego chef Philippe Verpiand each made a splash with MF Sushi and Etoile. Houston native Ford Fry said last October that he's considering branching out from Atlanta to Houston.

Whatever happens in the future, Ogden is poised to give Robert Del Grande some real competition in the chef-driven, fast-casual segment. Look out, Cafe Express. Funky Chicken is coming to town.

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