Phat Chicks Fried Chicken

The Verdict

There’s a lot to love about Phat Chicks, West Footscray’s latest nod to the growing chicken-and-ale movement. This place is all about two things: birds and beer. And it does them bloody well. Of course before you even get to the menu you have to pull yourself away from the big Namco Point Blank 2 machine in the corner, a machine responsible for about 63% of all the happiness generated in the 90s.

Get to the counter and you’ll find a compact and inventive menu, with enough chook-tailoring to please both white and dark-meat fans. Pick from breast, drumstick, thigh, wing and spare rib, then whack on your sauce of choice (spicy, sesame or original).

After that it gets really interesting: owner Jenny Nguyen has gone and made a Mi Goreng fried chicken (covered in a proprietary spice blend and based on the iconic 65-cent Indomie packs that got you thru uni). She even crushes up Kettle Chilli or Salt n Vinegar chips to create a zingy mega-crunch coating. Fried chicken covered in Kettle Chilli chips...further proof that not all heroes wear capes.

For sides you’ve got a good mix of regular fries, onion rings and cheese-covered corn kernels. We’d recommend the mac n’ cheese though: gooey, creamy and super addictive. Wash it all down with over 20 craft beers, including Two Bird’s taco beer and Hop Nation’s IPA.

Image credit: Ben Tyers