Food Diary: Chicken Institute, Sydney

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I’d say this is the most elegant Bibimbap that I’ve ever had. Barely any rice at all (but lovely purple rice hidden underneath the centre) and mostly an explosion of colours and IMG_3395fresh and picked veg. It was delicious. I kind of missed the crunchy bits of rice you get when it served in a stone bowl, and there’s something satisfying about mixing everything together in the cheap and non-elegant version, but I loved this. The food instagrammer #PrincessPorky told me that this is actually the way bibimbaps are supposed to be. Who knew?

In any case, here I was, at the Chicken Institute in Surry Hills, just across from 4fourteen. It’s smaller than I thought it would be, just a narrow hole in the wall. Elegant though.

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I thought they nicely combined this feel of traditional… with modern. I liked the take on Korean Fried Chicken (as above). Tasty, crisp, a bit too salty perhaps for my liking, but IMG_3399crispy deep-fried chicken. What’s not to love?

This interpretation of the ubiquitous pork bun was ridiculously tasty. Instead of pork, an ‘eggplant cutlet’, deep fried and crunchy. It was surprising, and surprisingly good.

Which leaves us finally with some BBQ meat, we got a mix of the beef and the pork belly. Tasty. I kind of loved this place, inexpensive, casual, unusual and super tasty. They took reservations, which seems kind of necessary as the place was packed. I’ll be back!

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As an update, I returned again in November, and it was just as good, and the service even more charming than previously. We had a ton of food, and a beer each for $45 a head, including a tip.

AND… Peanut Butter Chicken. With coconut and coriander and jalapeƱos. You won’t be sorry.

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2 Responses to Food Diary: Chicken Institute, Sydney

  1. Larry says:

    There is another new Korean in Surry Hills: Orange on Goulburn St. It is well worth a visit.

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