This New Sydney Eatery Is Serving Fried Chicken in Sneaker Boxes

Complete with champagne pairings and butter. Lots of butter.
Imogen Baker
February 03, 2016

If you, like us, have a deep pang of disappointment every time you open a shoebox to find not a skerrick of fried chicken within, prepare to have your weird fetish satisfied at Sydney's newest venue, Butter.

Butter, as the name does not at all suggest, is a fried chicken eatery and sneaker store rolled into one that’s about to open in Sydney's Surry Hills (where else would a peak-hipster fried chicken-meets-sneaker dispensary possibly open?). This vibe is inspired by New York City’s hip hop culture, a vibe which is articulated by the inclusion of fancy-ass champagne-based drinks menu, you know, to wash down your fried chicken. They've actually done pairings. And your meal will be served in a shoebox, to make up for all those other there’s-no-fried-chicken-in-here box opening disappointments.

The name Butter is actually a reference to the secret hero ingredient of the menu: butter (what, no way!). Buttermilk in the fried chicken, dashi butter in the waffle sandwich and the soft serve with flavour choices like buttery croissant, burnt butter and chocolate peanut butter cup (Lord have mercy on our arteries). At Butter, butter is king and we intend to rip through the menu like a… wait for it… hot knife through butter (zinggg). The fried chicken keeps it simple for four spice levels: naked, OG, fire and hot AF and the menu is organised into packs and sides.

And the team behind the operation boast some impressive resumes, including the 2015 Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year winner Julian Cincotta (of Sydney's kickass restaurant Nomad and Rockpool) and bar manager Paul Flynn (who is responsible for the sparkling-heavy drinks menu list). And yes, if you're wondering, there is a butter based cocktail: a butter-washed vodka. What does that even mean? Who knows — but it's probably worth planning a trip to Sydney to find out.

Butter will open at 6 Hunt Street, Surry Hills, Sydney on February 11.

Published on February 03, 2016 by Imogen Baker
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