Michael Gurevich is giving Atlantans yet another reason to love fried chicken—in the form of schnitzel—with the opening of his new restaurant, Seven Hens.Gurevich has devised a brand new concept that marries an age-old European cooking method with international cuisine in the form of a chicken cutlet. The upscale, fast-casual eatery will open in Decatur in mid-June to serve an array of schnitzel-style chicken dishes with flavors from around the world for lunch and dinner.

“Opening Seven Hens is my way of upgrading a food staple from my culture with the best flavors that different countries around the world are known for and offering it to Atlantans in a style that everyone loves,” says Gurevich, whose professional background includes service as a logistics officer for the Israeli Defense Force and more recently as an operations manager for an Israeli luxury skincare company.

The chicken at Seven Hens is served, for the most part, as schnitzel. The cooking technique includes pounding a chicken breast thin to tenderize it, dipping it in an egg-based batter and coating it with seasoned breadcrumbs that are inspired by exciting international flavors. The coated breast is then quickly fried to create a perfect golden schnitzel—a moist, tender chicken breast locked in a shell of crunchy, crispy tastefulness.

Guests of Seven Hens order at the counter where they either choose a dish from six suggested countries/ recipes—American, Mexican, Italian, French, Chinese, Indian—or go with a seventh option, The Traveler – a playful build-your-own alternative that allows diners to create endless possibilities of uniquely tasty meals. Then, guests decide whether to have a baguette, wrap, salad, or a platter with two sides. Side items include fries, chips or the Seven Hens salad. The ordering process ends with the “finishing touch” selection where guests choose from an array of seven house-made dressings and even more spreads, sauces, toppings and cheeses inspired by world cuisine. Lastly, the chicken is sliced into strips using Seven Hens’ signature Mezzaluna knife in a performance-type manner in front of guests’ eyes. The entire cooking and preparation process takes place at the “front of the house” where the guests can see the food being cooked fresh, made-to-order, according to their request.

The recipes were created by local chef Stephen McGuffin, a seasoned veteran who has worked in several of Atlanta’s best dining establishments for many years.

The 1,480-square-foot restaurant seats up to 34 guests and has a modern vintage style. The décor uses materials such as wood, granite, metal and concrete, as well as warm Edison bulb lighting to give a slightly rustic feel that differs from the typical fast food mold.

This entry was posted on Friday, June 8th, 2012 at 10:50 am and is filed under News.