Where do the chickens come from? Are they humanely raised? Most chickens aren't.

Does casual dining mean counter service or table service? Does it mean plastic silverware off paper in baskets or on plates.

We definitely need a better option than fast food, yuppie counter service, or fine dining in Palo Alto. We could do with an affordable restaurant which serves you at the table with its own parking lot.

It sounds like Anne expects that some "fowl play" was involved in making this restaurant.

I'm have flashbacks :^)

I guess I do have a question about the chicken if you could just tell us a little more about it.
Uh, the chicken is a heritage breed, a woodland raised chicken, that's been fed a diet of sheep's milk, soy, and hazelnuts.
I guess this is, this is local? Yes, absolutely.
I'm gonna ask you just one more time.
It's local? It is.
Is that usda organic or Oregon organic or Portland organic? It's just all across the board organic.
The hazelnuts, these are local? How big is the area where the chickens are able to roam free? I am sorry to interrupt.
I had that exact same question? Four acres.
Hmm Give me just a second.
I'll be right back, okay? Okay.
Okay.
She's nice.
You were doing the right thing.
I'm too apologetic.
You are.
I-I drove way too slow here today, didn't I? Yeah.
I'm so weird with that gas pedal.
The thing just moves the whole vehicle forward and all right, so here is the chicken you'll be enjoying tonight.
You have this information? This is fantastic.
Absolutely.
Ah, his name was Colin.
Here are his papers.
Okay? That's great.
He-he looks like a happy little guy runs around.
A lot of friends? Other chickens as friends.
Putting his little wing around another one, and kind of like palling around.
You know, I don't know that I can speak to that level of, uh, intimate knowledge about him.
Um, they do a lot to make sure their chickens, uh, are very happy.
When you say "they," I mean, who are these people raising Colin? It's a farm that's located about, uh, 30 Miles South of Portland.
And-and-and and you feel, and-and-and you have a good relationship with this farm? We do.
It's not some guy on a yacht who lives in Miami.
Oh, goodness, no! Saying that he's organic.
It tears at the core of my being the idea of someone just cashing in on a trend like organic.
No, I know the type.
No.
Um, tell you what, we're gonna go check it out, if you don't mind.
Just if you could just hold our seats.
Oh, now now? Yeah.
We'll be right back.
We want to make sure thank you so much, Dana.

Would be nice to have that in Cardiff by the Sea. Sounds good.

FINALLY!
I have been wishing for rotisserie chicken to-go since Boston Market closed.

To Anne:

Perhaps you should consider raising chickens yourself, to be sure ...

While I am no expert at food service industry lingo, I believe fast casual is a step above fast food so limited table service at the most but occasionally self-service. The Wikipedia entry lists a bunch of examples of fast chain chains, but I have never been to any of them.

Looking at the photo of this restaurant's exterior, it appears to be something like a converted former Seventies-era Taco Bell, so I imagine the service here will lean closer to a self-service type of place.

Judging from the exterior the most I would expect would be to walk away from the order counter with a tray of drinks and a table flag or table tent with an order number; a food runner would deliver the food order but would not return to take additional food nor drink orders. A busser or runner would clear/clean tables after the guests depart, but that would be the extent of the service. I would definitely not expect full table service.

Anyone remember the joke in a early Seinfeld episode where Jerry asks the audience if they have a location near them where a succession of businesses regularly start and fail ("the Bermuda Triangle of retail.")?

In the Barron Park/Ventura neighborhood where this building is located, this place is the butt of that joke.

It's been a Taco Bell, a Chalateco, a Papa Murphy's, and several other businesses, all within the span of the last ten years.

While I admire Ms. Leslie's drive to go her own way, and I wish her nothing but success, this history of this location is working against her.

Nonetheless, I'll be visiting the location next week when it opens up, just like I have for all the other places that have called this place home.

(Oh no! What if my attendance at these openings is what's causing all these joints to go under?!)

Correction: Taco Bell, Chalateco and Papa Murphy's were the only businesses in this location since the 70s.

Old Taco Bells never die, they just get repurposed.

I was wondering about that. Thanks. Hard to beat 5 dollar Costco chicken. I wonder what the rent is... only way to win is to do catering... and by win, I mean tread water.

@Marc -
Ha ha ha! I was thinking the exact same thing after reading Anne's comment at the top.
Well done! :)

I'll give this new place a try., but I've never tasted chicken as good as the old Pollos, on the corner of El Camino and Grant near the Oasis Laundry place ... long since gone as far as I know. Doing laundry in a laundromat says it's been a long time. They had a big round rotisserie over a roaring mesquite smoked fire. A little hole in the wall place, but it was the absolute best chicken. I wish I could find a place that made chicken that good again. It was a bit expensive even for back then, but worth it.

Does anyone remember Pollos in Mountain View? ( not Pollo Loco )

Anne, if, as the article mentions, the chicken is from Foster Farms, it is certified under the "American Humane" certification program of the American Humane Association. Here is the wikipedia page on the program: Web Link and the Foster Farms page on their certification: Web Link