Goodbird finally opened its doors on Chimes Street. Apparently it took them longer than expected to erase every trace of the old Slinky’s bar from the building. The color scheme is bright on the outside, blond on the inside. Some walls are gold particle board, some are painted white. The beams and benches are blond wood, also all the laminate tabletops. The murals and paintings are also bright and mostly white. The place looks brand new and immaculate really, as far from Slinky’s dark dive vibe as possible.
They do have an actual rotisserie where they cook actual chickens in house, but the chicken is only available as sandwiches, salads, or wraps. I had harbored a dream that this was going to be the Baton Rouge version of El Pollo Loco where they grill birds before your eyes and let you buy them by the half, whole, or quarter. Alas, if that is your desire, you should probably head over to Cowboy Chicken on Siegen. Goodbird is all about their healthy sandwiches centered on rotisserie chicken, and smoothies, and a few breakfast items served all day. There was nothing wrong with the Goodbird sandwich I got. The chicken and whole grain bread were fresh. The salsa verde and garlic aioli were there, but not particularly noticeable. The smoothie was good, and maybe they can compete with the nearby Pita Pit because they are also focused on healthy wraps and smoothies, but there is better chicken, better wraps, better salads, and better smoothies all within walking distance of Goodbird. I can’t see how they make a go of it, but I’ve been wrong before. And before I forget to mention it, the house made chips were quite good.
