By populating his menu with fewer fried food options and more salads and Mediterranean fare, a Codman Square restaurateur has successfully worked with neighbors to refine his concept and present a new plan for the space at 560 Washington St. that was formerly occupied by Oriental House Chinese Restaurant.

Boston Fried Chicken owner Aftab Ali presented his original a plan for the space in March, with hopes of making the square his second location. He had been advised by the landlord to make peace with the community first due to a long-time commitment by Codman Square Neighborood Council members to limit fast food operators there. They had fought off an approach by Popeye’s Fried Chicken a few years ago.

While there wasn’t support initially for Ali’s concept – a replication of his fried chicken shop on Blue Hill Avenue – he and CSNC members reported at an April 3 meeting that they had reached consensus on an alternative plan – with the name now being either Boston Chicken or Ali’s Chicken, and the menu having substantially less fried food and more healthy options.

“We’ve been talking and we agreed to the recommendations from the Council,” said Ali at the session in the Great Hall, where he brought samples for neighbors to try. “We’re doing that now and changing the name and making changes to the menu and the exterior and interior, too. There will be dine-in available with about 20 seats. I’m here to gain your support.”

Another key change was to upgrade the store’s façade before opening, and to renovate the dining room for sit-down meals in a fast casual concept. Ali said he has agreed to those requests.

With those concessions, he earned the council’s support, according to community members who noted his willingness to work with and not fight them.

CSNC President Cynthia Loesch-Johnson noted that this was a very happy ending.

“There is going to be some fried chicken but only about 15 to 20 percent of the menu,” she said. “He is changing the name for Codman Square and changing the menu for Codman Square,” she added. “Will you be able to purchase fried chicken? Yeah. But there are options like falafel, gyros, and salads also. You asked for Mr. Ali to be a good neighbor and he is.”

THE NOTEBOOK
•Mayor Wu was supposed to attend the April 3 meeting, but circumstances prevented her from being there in person. However, she did Zoom in to speak with residents and answer questions. She pledged to attend the ribbon cutting this spring on the Codman Square Park renovations and answered some questions – particularly about security plans for Boston Caribbean Carnival this summer.
“It’s important to have a plan for each of the events,” she said. “Some might be better in an enclosed space, especially in the early morning or overnight hours. We’re working on that and don’t have a definitive answer yet, but we’ll be back.”

Typically, the early morning J’Ouvert Parade – which begins overnight – musters on Talbot Avenue and in the accompanying neighborhoods off Codman Square. Last year, eight people in the parade were shot when multiple gunmen fired indiscriminately into the crowd. Other violence in and around the parade on Blue Hill Avenue has also occurred in recent years.

•City officials announced at the meeting they would be piloting Electric Vehicle (EV) curbside charging stations in neighborhoods around Codman Square, as well as setting up stations in the municipal parking lot. The curbside pilot would include 30 locations across the city with each station being able to charge four cars at one time, and with a fast charge (19.9 kW). The pilot stations nearby will be at Mother’s Rest Park on Claybourne Street, Erie-Ellington Playground, and Puddingstone Park on Seaver Street.

The station in the municipal lot will have 10 plugs available for drivers to use while they are shopping or running errands.

“The demand for charging locations is growing exponentially,” said Matt Warfield, from the city. “We’re doing this so that folks have the confidence to own an EV if they want to.”

•The Squares + Streets zoning change process for Codman Square will officially kick off on May 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Great Hall. Members of the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) team and city officials will gather for an open house style event.

•Police activity picked up over the last month as opposed to previous months when things were very quiet. Police reported responding to a loud and raucous party on March 30 at a business at 650 Washington St. around 4:30 a.m., where police found 50 or 60 people gathered, one of them with .380 calibre handgun loaded with eight rounds. The matter is being followed up by police and licensing officials.

On April 3, a 29-year-old vandal from the Codman Square area was arrested when he reportedly created “art” on the Lowkey Cannabis Dispensary. In the early afternoon, the man came into the shop looking for a job but he was turned away. Outside, police say, he began spray painting the front of the building. When confronted by officers, he said, “Hey, it’s just art.” That didn’t fly with them.