Founders of the now-closed ice cream empire, Ample Hills, Jackie Cuscuna and Brian Smith, are trying out a spin on the smash burger made with chicken, not beef. “It’s cracklin’ chicken — freshly ground from thigh meat, hand-formed, smashed, and griddled,” reports Andrea Strong in her Substack, the Strong Buzz. Their fast-casual spot will be called Ramblin’ Chick with a menu that also includes chicken hot dogs steamed in root beer, chicken chili, chicken cheesesteaks, sloppy joes, fries, and soft serve shakes. The duo doesn’t have a space yet, but they’re hoping to open in Gowanus.

In the meantime, Strong is hosting a preview of Ramblin’ Chick at No. 7 (627 Vanderbilt Avenue, at St. Marks Avenue) on Tuesday, July 22, for a menu that includes the smash burger, chicken dogs, chicken nuggets with Ramblin’ sauce, shoestring fries, mac and cheese topped with pretzel-potato chip crumble, and a chopped kale salad. Tickets are $50 and require a subscription to her Substack.

An ABC News analyst is opening a wine bar

Former owner John DeLucie of ultra-exclusive the Lion, previously in Greenwich Village, and Tribeca’s White Street (which featured the late Floyd Cardoz in the kitchen), is opening a wine bar at 46 W. 22nd Street. Abrams — the chief legal analyst of On Patrol: Live — is opening Danny’s, an American wine bistro, in the fall. The restaurant will showcase lesser-known wines from around the U.S., notes Page Six, from wineries in New York, Virginia, Texas, Colorado, and Michigan. No word yet on who the chef will be.

Ilis debuts a more casual summer menu

Mads Reflund of Greenpoint’s Ilis is opening the French doors and offering a less-formal summer menu. It will be four courses for $85 as of July 1 through September. Dishes could include items like fresh cheese with peas and almonds; squid with beans; quail with summer squash and spinale, and berries with amazake. (There’s also a seven-course menu for $148 and wine pairing options.) The price is about half of the average price for a tasting at Ilis during the year. “People want lighter meals during the summer,” says Reflund. Diners can order additional items a la carte.