Ali's Chicken & Waffles
Ali’s Chicken & Waffles leases the back counter of the Donut Star, serving a halal rendition of the famous pairing alongside shrimp and grits and fried chicken sandwiches. In 2018, Ethiopia-born entrepreneur and owner Genemo Ali bought a farmers market stand established by a local Thai chef, and wound up entering the restaurant game making Thai food. Then he had to move his Coconut & Co. operation inside when Covid closed the farmers markets.
Working out of the Minnehaha Food Market up the street, he found he was doing most of his business through delivery apps. So he tried reviving the Ali’s Chicken and Waffles idea as a ghost kitchen, and before long, it was outselling the Thai. His chicken is seasoned in a blend of three flours, with a spicy option heated by Thai chilis. Now available daily, to the right of the donut case.