Bird

179 Weston St
Brunswick East, VIC 3057
http://www.birdbangnchicken.com/

Bird is the word, and the fried chicken at Bird is… the wordest? Designed as a more refined version of the takeaway favourite, this ‘chicken bar and bistro’ pairs buttermilk-fried chicken with a moody vibe, quality cocktails, and a fantastic playlist, turning the experience into something worth organising a catch-up with friends over. And the food itself? Phenomenal. The best fried chicken I’ve had for a long while. Not to mention, there’s service to match, and a fantastic piece of cheesecake to round things out. If you’re going to blow out your calorie budget, this is the place to do it.

Rating: 14/20 – i feel like chicken tonight.
Unrelated: the set menu here is called ‘feed the coup’; I assume they meant ‘coop’ and I couldn’t help but ask. And indeed they did mean coop, and will fix up the typo with their next menu. But frankly I think feed the coup is about a thousand times funnier and has great Chicken Run vibes. So if you’re reading this, please keep it as coup!! Then you can tell the next know-it-all who asks that yes, you did mean coup, thank you very much.

The Bang’n Bird ($57) is the one to choose for a group of 2-3 (or a very hungry individual – I won’t judge). It comes with 3 each of the tenders, boneless thighs, and drumsticks, as well as pickles and 2 sauces of your choice. Normally I would never touch dry, craggy chicken tenders with a 10-foot pole, but the bird here is so well-brined, and skin so crisp and flavoursome, that you could go with any cut and have a great time. Sauce-wise, definitely go for the intensely Smoky Hot Sauce, and maybe the Ranch Mayo to cut through the spice. I’d give the Hickory BBQ a miss, as the extra sweetness just drowns out the chicken, but the Blue Cheese Buttermilk isn’t bad if you’re into the stuff.

The 3 Cabbage Slaw ($10) is a fresh mix of red, white, and pickled cabbage that works for those who prefer a milder flavour to the intense sour brine of pickles. I’d skip the Mash & Gravy ($11) next time; maybe try the cheesy corn or crinkle cut chips instead?

If you’re going to get only one carb however, make it the Garlic Brioche ($12, 2pcs). It levels up the classic accompaniment with fluffy sweet brioche rolls, and about a half-cup of pungent herb butter. It comes straight out of the oven, still wrapped in foil, and unwrapping it is like turning the clock back to every pizza night in primary school.

I thought Burnt Basque Cheesecake ($12) was a bit of an odd choice for dessert at a chicken shop, but it was a stellar slice, so no complaints here. Sitting exactly halfway on the cheesecake spectrum, each bite was light but still rich and creamy, and the accompanying combination of berry compote and whipped cream was irresistible.