Acclaimed Southern Belle chef expanding with two restaurants this summer

Ward said in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution it was just a “coincidence” that both concepts are debuting around the same time.

Credit: Courtesy of Southern Exposure

Credit: Courtesy of Southern Exposure

What to expect from Bar Belle

“We wanted to utilize the patio area that we’ve had since opening but has been very underused, mostly due to the Atlanta weather,” Ward said.

His team added a fully enclosed metal roof and roll-up fabric sides to create a year-round patio for Bar Belle.

Bar Belle will be accessible either through Southern Belle’s main entrance or through its own patio side door, but it will offer a much more casual environment with first-come, first-served seating and its own menu.

“I just wanted another avenue to attract patrons that maybe are looking for a more casual experience, specifically in the neighborhood area, and maybe a slightly younger crowd,” he said.

Credit: Brandon McKeown

Credit: Brandon McKeown

The menu will rotate periodically, but guests can expect to see the A-Town Burger, as well as fries, chicharrones, a char siu chicken skewer and several desserts. The raw bar will include crudo and oyster specials each night.

The bar program was developed in partnership with ASW Distillery, so some of its products will be highlighted on the beverage menu for some “fun, casual kind of patio-pounder” cocktails and wine, Ward said.

Bar Belle will also be offering jazz nights on Wednesdays from 7-9 p.m. and DJs on Thursday nights. Come holiday season, it could be decorated with Halloween or Christmas themes, he added.

Ward said he’s a big jazz fan and often goes to Burle’s Bar in the Old Fourth Ward to catch the venue’s Tuesday jazz performances. So he reached out to the band, Creosote Clone, to see if they were interested in adding another night to their schedule.

The renovated patio has one fabric wall and one wall featuring a mural painted with azalea flowers. The floor is dark green to mimic a lawn with some artificial grass and outdoor area rugs, and there will be hanging plants and string lights to give it an indoor-outdoor feel. A pink neon “bless your heart sign” will also hang on one wall for the inevitable photo ops.

Credit: CHRIS HUNT

Credit: CHRIS HUNT

Preview the Southern Belle Chicken Co. menu

Ward said he wasn’t planning to open a fast-casual chicken stall, but about three months ago the opportunity presented itself.

He was originally shopping around for real estate to possibly open another fine dining concept, one with a plant-dominant menu, but he said he was struggling to find “appropriate real estate for a brick-and-mortar,” as the cost of rent landlords were asking for wasn’t working out.

Instead, some of the investors for CTR Food Works reached out to Ward about opening a stall within the food hall. The rent was much more affordable, and he would be able to open on a quick timeline.

“We decided to jump in with both feet for this first,” he said.

Credit: Courtesy of TVS/CP Group

Credit: Courtesy of TVS/CP Group

Southern Belle Chicken Co. will primarily offer chicken sandwiches served on a custom, 6-inch bun from TGM Bakery. Customers will have the choice of selecting either two pieces of white meat, two pieces of dark meat or half-and-half for the sandwiches. All the chicken will come from North Georgia-based Springer Mountain Farms.

The chicken will be brined for 24 hours then breaded in a proprietary mix that keeps it very crispy, similar to Korean fried chicken, Ward said. The customer can choose what flavoring they’d like for the sandwich.

Options will include a Shanghai chili crisp sandwich; a Mexican-style torta with guacamole, queso and pickled onions; a classic Southern sandwich with mayo, pickles and Belle sauce; a Greek lemon garlic sandwich with tzatziki; and a Mumbai butter chicken sandwich.

All of those combinations will be available on plates of chicken strips, too. There will also be a salad with fried chicken strips, as well as french fries and some cold sides like kimchi coleslaw.

“The thing that got me was the location,” Ward said of the CTR Center. “To be a part of what I think is arguably one of the most iconic locations in the city of Atlanta over the last 30 years, 40 years, it’s pretty cool to be a part of that rebirth and revamp, and I would love to be a part of putting our mark on the next chapter.”

Ward said he’s still interested in an upscale, plant-focused restaurant, but in the time being, these more casual concepts offer “approachability.”

“We’re not compromising on product, but offering it at a more approachable price point to get more people aware of our brand and appreciating what we do, and hopefully they’ll come back to the OG Southern Belle,” he said.