For Viva Chicken fans in Indian Trail, life is about to get a lot easier, not to mention more delicious. Instead of road tripping to Charlotte the next time they are craving that authentic Peruvian rotisserie chicken, they can drive down the street to a new location coming this May.
The newest Viva Chicken, opening at 6461 Old Monroe Road in Indian Trail, is the seventh Charlotte-area location for the popular brand known for its pollo a la brasa, a delectable herb-enhanced rotisserie chicken cooked in a charcoal-fired oven.
The restaurant currently has locations in Huntersville, Concord, Ballantyne, Waverly, Elizabeth, and across from the Park Rd. Shopping Center;
“We like to say our fresh, inspired recipes transport taste buds to Peru,” says owner Randy Garcia. “Now we get to bring these tastes of home to our friends in Indian Trail. We can’t wait to serve them!”
Menu highlights include the following:
- Rotisserie chicken (served as a quarter, half or whole) marinated for 24 hours with herbs and spices
- Quinoa-stuffed avocado filled with organic quinoa, avocado, red pepper, rocoto chile pepper mayo and balsamic vinegar
- Andina power food salad featuring kale/romaine mix, quinoa, seasonal fruit, edamame, toasted almonds, red peppers, avocado and Viva Chicken’s signature lime passion fruit vinaigrette
- Inca wrap in a sun-dried tomato wrap stuffed with jasmine or cilantro-infused rice, canary beans, salsa criolla (with lime marinated onions and tomatoes), avocado and choice of pulled rotisserie chicken or steak
- Sides including solterito (Peruvian corn salad), canary beans, cilantro-infused rice, plantains, yuca or sweet potato fries
- Signature juices such as herbal limeade (lime, basil, rosemary and mint), Maracuya passion fruit juice and the Chicha Morada (Peruvian purple corn, cinnamon, cloves, pineapple, apple and limes) made in-house daily.
With seating for 86 guests inside and another 54 on the patio, Viva Chicken in Indian Trail is offering guests a high standard of customer service that includes food and drink table service and busing of tables. The décor has a modern industrial farm feel with rustic charm, warm colors, reclaimed tables and Viva Chicken’s trademark high-energy house music.
Debuting in 2013 with a single location in Charlotte, Viva Chicken represented a real roll of the entrepreneurial dice for Garcia and chef-owner Bruno Macchiavello. The pair worked together at Garcia’s family’s restaurant, the iconic Charlotte Italian fine dining favorite Villa Antonio, but they had a dream of introducing North Carolinians to the pollo a la brasa that Macchiavello grew up eating in Peru and Garcia discovered on a trip home with his Peruvian wife.
It wasn’t long before guests began crowding the door, which they still do prior to each Viva Chicken’s opening every day and until closing each night. And for those in a hurry, an online ordering option was added for those that would like to place their order in advance, so that they could swing by and take home a meal for their families.
For Garcia and Macchiavello, the key to Viva Chicken’s success is authenticity and Peruvian-sourced ingredients. Each restaurant has a charcoal rotisserie imported from Lima. The peppers for the fresh-made sauces, the purple corn used to make the fan-favorite Chicha Morado drink and the cans of Inca Kola are all authentically sourced and prepared. “Bruno and I agreed early on that there would be no shortcuts on delivering an authentic experience for our guests,” says Garcia.
Viva Chicken in Indian Trail is located at 6461 Old Monroe Road. The restaurant will open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call 980-425-3497 or visit vivachicken.com.