A 'Refined' Suburban Chicken Shop Is Coming to Menai in Sydney's South

Menai could be the latest Sydney suburb to get a culinary facelift. Located in Sydney's south, the suburb is a bit of a food wasteland hosting a small selection of takeaway joints and 'special occasion' venues. This could all be about to change with modern Australian chicken shop Little Bonny's due to open December 22.

From the team that brought Michelin star-quality cafe dining to Cronulla, in the form of Blackwood Pantry, Little Bonny's will bridge the great divide between fast and quality fare for Menai and its surrounding suburbs. Owners Daniel Sorridimi, Rob Lechowicz and Paul Pisani are launching what they call a "refined take on the classic Australian chicken shop".

Similar to revolution of cafe culture, of which Blackwood certainly improved the Shire's standing in, Sorridimi believes that chicken shops are coming back in to style — as seen in 2015's reopening of The Paddington. "[They] had sort of been forgotten, but they're making a bit of a comeback...we believe can raise the bar for the chicken shop scene."

Little Bonny's won't be the gaudy chicken shop of old. The fit-out, by Luchetti Krelle (who has done the interiors of Acme, The Butler and Tequila Mockingbird, to name a few), will be casual, but not tacky, with communal dining for up to 50 people, a custom-built concrete bar and brass detailing.

The main feature is the two brass French rotisseries which will pump out a rotating selection of proteins including chicken, lamb, whole fish, turkey and suckling pig weekly. The signature free-range chicken will be served in two ways: classic French style with stuffing — a tip of the hat to Lechowicz's Michelin-star history in France — or marinaded with chimichurri or garlic and chilli. Sides on offer include seasoned fries, potato and pecorino gratin, and a selection of salads ranging from traditional (coleslaw) to trendy (turmeric roasted cauliflower with radicchio and pomegranate). Seasonally flavoured soft-serves and Blackwood's signature milkshakes will kick those post-chook sugar cravings.

Little Bonny's will be situated in one of Menai's three commercial centres hosting supermarkets, retail stores and professional businesses. Officially, Menai is an often-forgotten part of the Sutherland Shire in a pocket of suburbs located on the 'other' side of Woronora Bridge, but is a busy thoroughfare for traffic to and from the Shire and South Coast. As locals of the area, the team is confident that the location will work well. "We can capture traffic from local suburbs like Bangor and Illawong...but it is also such a short drive from [southern Bankstown suburbs] Revesby and Padstow," says Sorridimi.

Little Bonny's will open on December 22, 2017, at F1.03 5–21 Carter Road, Menai. Stay updated via the Facebook page.