Here’s a first look inside a new Dilworth restaurant with a walk-up doughnut window

A Dilworth restaurant that closed last month will reopen April 5 with its former owner but a new name, a new plan and a walk-up window for selling doughnuts.

Fran Scibelli shuttered Fran’s Filling Station on Park Road and is reopening it as Fat Cat Burgers + Bakeshop.

Scibelli said the impact of the coronavirus pandemic led to the decision to rebrand. As COVID-19 cases began rising after Thanksgiving in Charlotte, she said her business screeched to a halt.

Plus, after hitting the 10-year mark, she said it was time to bring a fresh idea to the neighborhood. “As always, I want it to be a fun place, a neighborhood place,” Scibelli said.

One of the new additions is a bakery and selling doughnuts cooked fresh just about every hour.

Scibelli said customers can expect cake doughnuts, like a triple chocolate doughnut with chocolate pudding piped topped with caramel chocolate glaze and crushed chocolate cookie, as well as plain honey-glazed doughnuts. She’s been offering free taste testing recently to nail down the flavors.

The front walk-up window idea, Scibelli said, is reminiscent of her childhood summer vacations in Connecticut where families could grab a treat and eat outside.

New meals on the menu

Scibelli is re-teaming with baker Noe Solres, who she worked with at her former Metropolitan Bakery on Fairview Road that closed in 2004. The bread and rolls from the bakery will be used to make Fat Cat sandwiches.

And, she’s adding burger and chicken sandwiches using doughnuts instead of bread.

“Everybody’s gotta eat that at least once in their life,” she said.

Meal favorites from Fran’s Filling Station will be on the menu, too, especially items that remained popular as to-go during the pandemic. That includes salads like kale and Latin wedge, the California and lamb burgers, and fried chicken sandwiches with pepper jelly and goat cheese.

“We need to continue to expect that to-go will be huge,” Scibelli said. “It was really what most people were ordering.”

She’s also worked out a menu to keep the price point lower and get food out quickly, for example selling seven-ounce burgers rather than 10-ounce, that can be ordered as double patties.

Also on the menu will be pretzel bites and beer cheese, chicken wings and onion string loaf. And a children’s menu includes mac and cheese, grilled chicken, small burgers and chicken tenders.

A new look too

Like the menu, the 4,000-square-foot space also has undergone an update with cream and red walls covering the gray and ceiling painted blue. Window curtains are gone, and shades have gone up.

Carrie Frye, designer of the uptown La Belle Helene restaurant and a neighbor to Fat Cat Burgers, designed Fat Cat’s space.

There are new tables, additional booths in the back and televisions in front and back, and a full-service bar with seating for up to 12 people has a new black granite top. The bar will have a craft cocktail menu plus local craft beers and iced coffee on tap.

Scibelli said she’s invested about $100,000 in Fat Cat Burger + Bakeshop. She expects to hire up to 12 people.

“It’s the kind of place where a bunch of neighbors or friends want to meet and have a meal and catch a game could sit here a while,” she said. “It’ll look like a new restaurant with a walk-up window for doughnuts and coffee.”

This story was originally published March 26, 2021 at 8:54 AM.