Welcome to Chick N’ Treats

Chick N’ Treats Takes Wing
Robert Weinberg

Linus and Bonnie Lau faced a dilemma familiar to many South Floridians: Where could they go for a delicious, healthy meal that wouldn’t stretch their budget? The couple, who frequently go out to eat, also craved a dining experience with attentive, friendly service, something that seems to be at a premium in our region.

Sensing a gap in the market between high-end eateries and fast-food joints, the Laus opened Chick N’ Treats in Coral Springs in March. In addition to table service once customers place their order, and actual plates and cutlery, the Laus pride themselves on serving a variety of fresh, light fare. Their menu includes chicken, seafood and even meat dishes — churrasco steak, says Linus Lau, is among the most popular dishes they serve. A frozen yogurt bar also has proven to be a draw.

Longtime Coral Springs residents, the Laus bring decades of restaurant experience to their new venture. They also brought along "Uncle Cat."

"His name is pretty tough to pronounce and remember," Lau says of his brother and executive chef, Cletus Lau. "So people call him ’Uncle Cat.’ He’s been cooking for over 30 years and has a huge portfolio of recipes that we continue to offer our clients."

Many South Floridians have fond memories of Uncle Cat’s cuisine. He was the chef at Henry’s China House, a popular fixture near the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport the Laus opened in the early ’80s. Currently, they also own food-court operations in malls such as Town Center and Sawgrass Mills.

A Hong Kong native with a degree in English Literature from Stanford University, Linus Lau moved to Florida from California in 1971. He’s now a huge Miami Heat fan. On game days, especially as the Heat square off against the Chicago Bulls in the playoff finals, Chick N’ Treats fills with young fans who thrill to the moves of Dwyane Wade and Lebron James on the restaurant’s television. Lau’s prediction for the series? "Heat in six."

A PlayStation game console also competes for the attention of young customers, and they and their parents will find Chick N’ Treats Wi-Fi accessible. The frozen yogurt bar, though, just might provide the toughest temptation. Eight flavors of yogurt include pistachio, mango, strawberry and Cookies ’n’ Cream, while toppings include fresh fruit, nuts and candy. Lau says he can’t resist the creamy dark chocolate yogurt. "I eat it every day," he says. "But it’s good for you. If you don’t have a weight problem."

Lau refers to the fare at Chick N’ Treats as "fast food with an attitude." Among the offerings that seem to be most tantalizing to customers are bourbon chicken, which ranks as most-popular, followed by a chicken cutlet served with a special sauce. For the latter dish, the chicken is first grilled, then lightly breaded, briefly deep fried and topped with what Lau calls "cutlet sauce." What’s in it?

"We’re not going to give away our secret!" he says with a laugh. "People keep asking, ’What is it? It tastes so good!’ I say, ’We can’t tell you that.’ "

No. 3 among Chick N’ Treats’ top sellers is the aforementioned churrasco steak. In a region with a large Hispanic population who know and crave the Argentinean dish, Lau says he’ll stack his churrasco up against anyone’s.

"Without boasting, I think we have the best churrasco steak in town," he says. "I mean, we went out and tried them all. We want to keep it affordable for families. For churrasco steak, you go anywhere else, it’s going to cost you $6, $7, $8 more than we charge."

Seafood items provide a cool and light alternative. Salmon has proved popular with customers, as have pan-fried garlic shrimp. And Lau is confident that a chilled seafood salad will tempt diners during South Florida’s sizzling summer months.

The Laus continually fine-tune their menu with monthly additions and deletions. They recently added chicken quesadillas, which Lau jokes, are "selling like hot cakes." Sea bass, on the other hand, was a hard sell. Although it was competitively priced for the market, its $18.95 price tag discouraged some customers. So, Lau will likely replace it with mahi-mahi, a more-affordable South Florida favorite.

The regular refinements serve a purpose. "It’s just a way of telling people our menu does not stay static," Lau explains. "It’s going to be evolving."

The contrast between Chick N’ Treats and other fast-food options is perhaps best-illustrated in its juxtaposition to KFC, which is just next door. Lau says he’s not interested in competing with the fried-chicken giant. Consumers will decide which is the better fit for their individual needs.

Ultimately, Lau says his food, presentation and service should win him a loyal customer base. "I often walk into restaurants and I’ll stand there for five minutes and nobody even knows you’re there," he says. But at Chick N’ Treats, he continues, "We want people to walk in and walk out with the impression that, ’Yeah, they really care, and they’re really friendly and helpful.’ "

Chick N’ Treats is located at 10371W.Sample Road in Coral Springs. For more information, call 954-255-9778.