Suburbia

Sydney is no stranger to fried chicken. In 2017, however, there wasn’t a thriving fried-chicken scene north of the bridge, prompting husband and wife team Doug and Kylie Fraser to sell their restaurant in Narrabeen and give the genre a go. Doug spent two years developing a spice mix recipe for the chicken at Suburbia.

Preparing the chicken is a two-day process. It’s first honey-brined, then slow-cooked and finally flash-fried in a house-made bread mixture. The process minimises the oil the chicken absorbs, keeping it crisp on the outside and moist in the middle. It’s then seasoned with the spice mix.

Although it’s primarily a fried-chicken restaurant (the chicken can be ordered as wings, tenders, in a burger or on a waffle drizzled with maple syrup), there’s an equally strong emphasis on vegetable dishes.

One to try is Grains and Greens, an inventive dish of snow peas, chickpeas, almonds, cured egg yolk and mirin dressing. To Doug’s surprise the baked eggplant with Korean miso, sesame seeds and buffalo mozzarella is one of the most-ordered options.

The drinks menu is relatively small, with a well-curated selection of beers and wines (several of which are either natural or organic) as well as cocktails. The watermelon Margarita is a highlight – a mix of Blanco tequila, watermelon juice, strawberry and lime. For a balmy summer evening with friends, grab a jug of the summer Sangria, made here with white wine, lemonade, ginger ale, seasonal fruit and mint.

The space exudes a fresh, summery feel. Giant Designs was in charge of bringing the “Venice Beach and Santa Monica-style vibe”, and have broken up bright white surfaces with leaf prints and pops of canary yellow.

We suggest you park yourself on one of the stools at the counter that runs the length of the open window facade and people watch the evening away.