Little Ban Ban

Ban Ban on Franklin Street was the original, doing the winning combo of crunchy fried chicken and cold, crisp beer. Then owners Darren Song and Ernest Koong opened Little Bang Bang in the middle o the CBD for the lunch crowd. It has a truncated menu of grab-and-go options. It caters to time-poor city workers and is a good argument against that homemade salad you brought in for lunch.

Little Ban Ban sticks to wings and drumsticks, rather than the whole birds you get at Ban Ban. But Ban Ban’s popular starters and sides, including umami fries (with teriyaki sauce and bonito flakes) and Panko-crumbed Spam fries are here, as are the vegan “chicken” (made from Seitan). There’s lunchbox-style takeaway packs with rice, coleslaw and a cut of fried chook served with your choice of sauce. Make it a boozy lunch and add a tap beer, soju or makgeolli (a lightly sparkling traditional rice wine).

For dessert there is self-serve soft serve in flavours such as t=matcha and rotating fruit-based varieties.

The design is playful: bright-pink stools and white custom-made D-tiles.