When chef and co-owner Sam Horowitz originally opened Thirsty Bird Potts Point, he'd hoped it'd be a bar and kitchen with beers aplenty. But, thanks to licensing difficulties, it was restricted to a tiny takeaway joint with seating for just five. Now, Horowitz's dreams for his fried chicken joint have been fully realised over in Newtown.
Thirsty Bird 2.0, as it's affectionately known, has seating for almost 20 and a lineup of local craft tinnies, including ones from nearby breweries Grifter and Willie the Boatman. One thing that's not a whole lot different to the OG spot, though, is the menu.
Like its Potts Point predecessor and Mr Crackles (also owned by Horowitz), Thirsty Bird Newtown is a mono-meat venue. On the menu you'll find chicken — and not much else. But rest assured it'll be some of the best chicken of your life. Its chicken undergoes a four-step process: a spiced brine, a 24-hour coolroom air dry, followed by cooking the meat twice to ensure a crunchy buttermilk exterior and a tender, juicy filling.
You can order the chicken as is with one of nine sauces (including roast chilli, blue cheese and maple syrup), or inside one of the sandwiches. Go for The Big Kahuna ($15), which showcases grilled pineapple, bacon, cheese, tomato and lettuce atop one of the epic buttermilk chicken pieces, or the spicy Thirsty Sanchez ($15) with jalapeño salsa and chipotle. There's a katsu sando ($16), too, and you can double stack any burger for a reasonable $6.
Thirsty Bird's regular lineup of sides are also on the menu, which include sweet potato waffle fries ($7), loaded tater tots ($10) and the all important mash 'n' gravy ($6).
Images: Bob Wong