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Our hearts were broken when we heard the news that quirky Sheung Wan chicken spot Little Birdy shut at the end of last year after just a few months of opening. They promised then that they would be “rehatching soon in a slightly different form”, and we are pleased to announce that they kept their promise! The fun team behind the flavoursome birds are back with the all-grown-up Big Birdy.
The new spot is just a little way down the road on Sai Ying Pun’s High Street from the original Birdy location. You can’t miss the large yellow and red neon signs, yet the diner-style interior is far more minimalist. The restaurant is small without being cramped, with a fully stocked bar taking up a large portion of the space. While the decor is simple, there are plenty of fun touches such as the above stickers in the restrooms and plenty of puns like “poultry in motion” (which are always highly respected amongst the Foodie team) on the brightly coloured menu.
Big Birdy’s food menu
Thanks to the new bar, the drink menu boasts hard iced-teas, sangrias and even a Big Birdy–exclusive beer along with a decent wine list.
We first tried the Beach Par-tea ($70) and Beam Me Up, Sco-Tea ($70), both of which were refreshing and certainly alcoholic while still retaining a strong tea flavour and light sweetness. Later on, we tried a glass of white sangria ($80/glass; $380/jug), which was on the sweeter, fizzy side yet still thirst-quenching and very reasonably sized.
In order to effectively critique a chicken place, one must always try the wings. Big Birdy’s wicked wings ($65 for 4) are described as “oversized hot wings coated in the peri-peri of your choice”. While the fried wings were not what we would call oversized, they were definitely juicy and very tasty. We had our wings coated in the lemon & garlic peri-peri, which is delightfully tangy, and had the spicier sauces on the side.
There are four levels of peri-peri on offe: lemon & garlic, mild, hot and insanely hot. All the sauces have a fantastic flavour, and even the insanely hot is not actually that hot. The focus is on the flavour rather than the crazy spice levels. However, we do think it would be fun to have at least one truly insanely hot sauce, just for those who like to test themselves.
Next up, the chicken & waffles ($150) with peri-peri butter and maple syrup. The portion is rather massive, easily shared between two people, even up to four if you’re sharing a few items. We absolutely loved the combination of sweet and savoury, and the succulent buttermilk chicken was fried to perfection.
The Heisenberg ($130) is another massive option from the menu’s “Naughty Corner”. Served with an incredibly thick portion of fried chicken (which is boiled before it’s fried to retain moisture), American cheese, pickles and peri-peri aioli, this was a tender and supremely satisfying burger. We also have to admire a burger that retains its structure – even when cut in half, it did not fall apart, the bun did not get soggy and, for such a large sandwich, it was surprisingly easy to eat.
The Heisenberg and all the chicken in The Naughty Corner can be ordered with double (+$65) or triple chicken (+$95), but we’re not sure who could possibly need to eat that much chicken – especially when one piece is this thick. Perhaps the same person who eats the insanely hot sauce just to see if they can.
To top off a night of indulgence, we had a side of loaded fries ($55), which come smothered in Cheddar cheese, bacon bits and peri-peri sauce. These are dangerously addictive yet just a little soggy once you get to the bottom, so it’s best to order the peri-peri on the side to retain their crispness.
We certainly tried the most decadent items on the menu, but for those wanting something lighter, there are plenty of healthy options such as flame-grilled birdys (from $85), superfood salads ($75) and even some vegetarian and vegan options. However, we have it on good authority that the fried goodies are definitely tastier than the grilled items.
There are no desserts on offer at Big Birdy. Although they’re not necessary after such a feast, we think some ice cream or apple pie might be a nice addition to this comfort-food spot.
Verdict
Big Birdy is a no-fuss, no-frills kind of place that serves up solid, comfort-style eats that centre around high-quality chicken. The prices are very reasonable for such sizeable portions, and the team certainly know how to fry up and sauce those birds. Big Birdy is sure to become a popular neighbourhood hang-out in no time.
48–78 High Street Sai Ying Pun, 2360 0968
This write-up is based on a complimentary media tasting provided in exchange for an honest review and no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed here represent the author’s.
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