We don’t venture across the Pyrmont Bridge very often as there’s so much going on in the CBD these days, but on occasion we do find ourselves in the neighbourhood of the Star or the Sydney Fish Markets looking for a quick bite. Enter Whirly Bird, which is a casual bar/restaurant serving up “fine poultry and liquor” a.k.a. tasty fried chicken and fantastic cocktails in a surprisingly spacious spot just near the Pyrmont Bridge.
There’s a large bar area with comfortable sofas at the front when you walk in, which is great for groups and also a partially sectioned off dining area which shares the same stylish decor as the bar area.
Whirly Bird’s menu is fairly extensive and our eyes were bigger than our stomachs so we went for a selection of their share dishes, chicken and sides to share over lunch with a couple of their cheeky musically themed cocktails. My Sgt. Peppers aperitif cocktail hit the spot with a refreshing mix of pisco, pink peppercorn, guava, bitters and grapefruit twist served in a dainty glass. The harder hitting Frank’s Wild Years cocktail also didn’t disappoint with its theatrical puff of smoke introducing the “Coffee & Cigarettes” potion, which tasted like a refined version of the real deal, blended well with scotch and ruby grapefruit.
Sgt. Pepper’s Cocktail, $17 and Frank’s Wild Years Cocktail, $18
In terms of the food, we started off with the piping hot Celery Battered Jalapeno Poppers – these tasty morsels have a kick to them, tempered by their cream cheese filling and aioli sauce on the side.
Celery Battered Jalapeno Poppers, $14
We couldn’t pass up trying their Bunch of Crispy Bird – the plate of 5 pieces of their buttermilk (boneless) fried chicken was a satisfying feed when dunked in their delicious chilli and honey caramel sauce, or their addictive Whirlybird smoky BBQ sauce.
Bunch of Crispy Bird, $18
Their signature Crispy Bird also makes an appearance in their Dirty Burger – this time served with bacon, cheese, pickles, iceberg lettuce and slatherings of aioli and BBQ sauce, which we mopped up with their side of crunchy, thick cut animal fries. This burger is pretty hard to eat gracefully with all the fillings piled high but somehow we managed to polish it off.
Dirty Burger, $18
If you prefer your chicken roasted rather than fried, then look no further than their selection of spit roast birds – we ordered a quarter of Butterflied and Spiced Chicken which was marinated in a flavourful mix of peri peri, marjoram and lemon that had infused into the tender, juicy meat. We thought this went nicely with their White Guy Kimchi Slaw on the side (it wasn’t quite as intensely flavoured as authentic Korean kimchi) and their softly sweet Duck Fat Roasted Carrots served with honeycomb and caraway seeds.
Butterflied and Spiced Chicken – Quarter, $10
White Guy Kimchi Slaw, $5
Duck Fat Roasted Carrots, $5
The contemporary space at Whirly Bird is especially well suited to group catch ups or parties, with something for everyone on their reasonably priced menu which is designed for sharing and good times. We loved their whimsical cocktails and their selection of tasty chicken dishes complements their drinks perfectly – we’ll be back for more with a group of friends next time we’re planning a gathering in the city.
Excuse Me Waiter dined as guests of Whirly Bird
Whirly Bird
84 Union Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009
Phone: (02) 9660 7134
