The new East Passyunk spot is ready to meet the customer demand expected for Super Bowl Sunday
By Bill Gelman
How many pounds of chicken will it take to meet customer demands on Super Bowl Sunday?
This is not a riddle. The team at Redcrest Fried Chicken, 1525 S. 11th St., is opening tomorrow, and a large supply will be needed to tackle all the orders that will be coming in this weekend.
“I’m planning on getting a few hundred pounds of whole birds, and a few hundred pounds of wings,” said chef/owner Adam Volk. “We will definitely be spending some extra time sharpening our knives in the coming days!”
Before Super Bowl Sunday arrives, Redcrest will hold a grand-opening celebration tomorrow (Feb. 1) by giving away one piece of free fried chicken person or a choice of a mini chicken sandwich from 5 to 7 p.m.
The 1,000-square-foot casual eatery will specialize in two varieties of fried chicken, chicken sandwiches, popcorn chicken, whole wings, side dishes, buttermilk soft serve ice cream, sundaes and desserts. Signature buttermilk blend (chicken brined with a blend of dried herbs and spices and buttermilk) and spicy curry (chicken is brined with thai red curry, chillies and buttermilk) are the two options, and will be available in quarter, half and whole. Some of Volk’s favorite side dishes — french fries, mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, coleslaw, season vegetables and corn pudding — are on the menu, too.
Volk is a new addition to the booming Philly foodie scene. He relocated to the area last year with his wife, Emily, and children Ian, 2, and Clara, 7 months old. The family has moved into Emily’s childhood home, which is located blocks away from Redcrest. Her brother, father and uncle helped with the construction and opening. Volk grew up in Montgomery County. The couple met in New York City in 2005. Volk owns and operates three restaurants in New York City, but he wanted to stop commuting to New York City for work. It just so happens that fried chicken is one of his favorite foods or preferred meals.
“I wanted to share that love with a larger audience and focus on one product and really do it well.” he said.
Once the decision was made to move to Philly, Volk knew the East Passyunk Avenue scene was exactly where he wanted to be.
“I’ve always thought it was an exciting scene, and I have watched closely how it has flourished over the last several years,” he said. “I wanted to be part of that excitement and energy.”
Volk said he spotted the former seafood space located next to the Singing Fountain after leaving Black and Brew, 1523 E. Passyunk Ave., one day.
The opening hours will be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
As far as Sunday goes, Volk said there will be an extra chef and counter person to help with the delivery business. Redcrest will also start delivery service through GrubHub on Friday.
Like the Eagles, the Redcrest team is ready to go.
“We’re definitely hoping for a busy weekend and an even busier game day,” Volk said.
