Houston TX Hot Chicken Opens in San Diego | Eater San Diego

"I'm looking forward to the Gaslamp opening of Houston TX Hot Chicken (HHC), a Texas hot-chicken chain launching its first major San Diego outpost in early September. They serve never-frozen, antibiotic- and hormone-free fried chicken in flavors ranging from No Spice and Honey Butter to Liftoff and the fiery “Houston We Have a Problem” (HWHAP), which requires diners to sign a waiver; the San Diego team is also hosting an HWHAP Spice Challenge on August 24 with a $1,000 prize for anyone who finishes three HWHAP chicken tenders with a three-minute cool-down without liquid. The menu centers on fried chicken sandwiches on brioche buns and fried chicken tenders paired with slaw, fries, or a Belgian waffle, and includes concertina (crinkle-cut) fries loaded with chopped tenders, slaw, and pickles, fusion fries topped with mangoes, black bean corn relish, and cheese, chicken tortilla soup, and a Texas Caesar salad with white corn and sun-dried tomatoes; a “secret” menu item is a waffle sandwich with an original hot-chicken patty between two Belgian waffles. They also offer housemade lemonades such as cucumber-watermelon and blueberry-lavender, plus milkshakes and cookies. Founded in 2021 by race car driver Edmond Barseghian, the rapidly growing chain now has 20 locations across the U.S. (including two in California) and plans to open at least two more San Diego outposts in 2025, with possible neighborhoods including Kensington, North Park, Hillcrest, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla, Del Sur, or Kearny Mesa." - Helen I. Hwang