Downtown Disney's transformation heats up

June 9, 2023, 4:26 PM · Nashville-style hot chicken has a new year-round home at the Disneyland Resort. And the resort has announced new plans for additional stage and seating area inside Downtown Disney.

Clyde's Hot Chicken is now serving hot chicken skewers from a cart near the Disneyland Monorail station. Three levels of heat (naked, original, and "Hot as Cali") are available for the chicken, which costs $12 for a five-piece skewer. A combo that adds chips and a pickle is $14. Sauces are available for a buck each.

Disney California Adventure has served Nashville-style hot chicken (and turkey!) during its food festivals, but this is the first dedicated location for hot chicken at the Disneyland Resort that I can recall.

In other Downtown Disney news, Disney said today that the open area next to Splitsville Luxury Lanes this summer will become The Alley, "an outdoor patio with interactive games, live music, lounge areas and seats for dining," according to Disney. Some additional tables and seating would be welcomed by anyone who has bought a pizza, pretzel, ice cream - or hot chicken - from the district's take-away shops and stands and who don't want to have to eat while walking, though it's not clear from Disney's press release if this space will be for use of Splitsville patrons exclusively or not.

Finally, Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen has completed its transformation into Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio, with the adjacent quick-service restaurant reopening as Beignets Expressed. In case you were wondering, despite the name change, the Jazz Kitchen restaurant remains part of the New Orleans-based Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group.

Selections include Shrimp Remoulade Stuffed Avocado ($27), Chili-Spiced Honey Glazed Grilled Salmon ($35), and a Grilled Open-Faced Lobster BLT Po-Boy ($24), as well as classics such as gumbo, jambalaya, and a "Reef and Beef," with shrimp, grits, and short rib ($38).

Work continues on the transformation of the former Catal and Uva Bar into Chef Carlos Gaytán's Paseo and Céntrico, as well as the construction on Din Tai Fung on the old AMC theaters site. Porto's will be taking over the current Earl of Sandwich location to wrap the major changes at Downtown Disney, which are expected to be complete by late 2024.

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Replies (3)

June 9, 2023 at 8:22 PM

as tasty as it might be, i think that for me to pay $27 for an avocado it had better be stuffed with nothing less than unicorn tears and scrambled dodo egg

June 10, 2023 at 9:07 AM

I really don’t like the gentrification of Jazz Kitchen. It was strip of all of its color and welcoming style for a bland, hospital cafeteria look. It just looks sad.

June 10, 2023 at 1:37 PM

@AgustinMacias completely agree. It was much better looking when it was Ralph Brennan's, with its New Orleans style look. Clearly, it got "Chapeked."

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