Birds & Bubbles: Shabby Chic And Good

[Pigging  by Wilfrid:  October 6, 2014]

This is about the easiest review I've ever had to write.  They serve fried chicken, they serve bubbly wine; the chicken is exceptionally good, the grower champagnes affordable; thank you and goodnight.

 

Okay, so the restroom is in an impossibly awkward spot between the bar and the dining room, right next to the service station, and the bar was a bit sticky, and there were too many noisy movie people, neither drinking champagne nor eating chicken, but really...

 

If you can fulfill your two main proffers so well, there's nothing to complain about.  And hey, the chicken is well-priced too. At least, the half chicken is, at $16 for breast, thigh, leg and wing. Judging by the quantity and density of meat, these are big birds of very fair quality.

As for the frying, I'd read competing views online, but I had nothing but praise. Buttermilk bathed and well dredged, the chicken comes crunchy, is seasoned with an interesting, layered spice mix, and isn't dry inside. This has been fried chicken season in the city, and although I can't get near the touted version at Root & Bone, this is the best I've had, well, within memory. It comes ungarnished, but I helped it out with a pair of faultless biscuits ($5) surrounded by honey butter.

The onion souffle and green bean casserole being consumed just to my right looked pretty good too. Two people could get the whole chicken, with three sides and a bread selection included, which saves about $10 to $12 on ordering from the carte, but please be very hungry. It's worth knowing that half a chicken is the smallest serving here--no individual drums or thighs--but there's shrimp or crawfish in southern preparations is you're not in the mood.

Created by Sarah Simmons, of City Grit dining club repute, this could have been just another downtown model magnet with expensive booze and food as an afterthought.  On this evidence, it's not that, and indeed--some customer aside--it has a welcoming, laidback feel, even on a weekend evening.

(Too dark to take adequate food pictures at the bar. That's life.)

There is indeed a baller list of champagnes by the bottle, but BTG there's a neat selection of grower champagnes, a crémant, a prosecco, and so on. The list itself is strangely composed, featuring (accurately enough) a phrase describing the wine in bold type ("strawberries and cream!"), with the wine itself in smaller cursive underneath.  Once I adjusted my eyesight, I found a delicious G.H. Coutier Grand Cru for $15.  The Marc Hebrart was only $17, but I preferred the Coutier. They use regular white wine glasses, not flutes.

Honestly, with the price of still wines by the glass today, if you're drinking Coutier for $15 and eating a huge portion of chicken for $16, you are hitting the shabby chic bullseye.

The website could be more forthcoming.