Best Fried Chicken Sandwiches in LA: Birdies
full review by the editorial team
Located in the heart of of downtown Los Angeles, Birdies is one of a few new restaurants in LA that focuses two of the best creations know to mankind - Donuts and Fried Chicken.
For this particular series, we're focusing on the best fried chicken sandwiches in LA. Under review this time, is the OG at Birdie's - BIRDIE'S ORIGINAL ($9 USD before tax).
Birdie's Original Chicken Sandwich. Photo by Kelly Li
Served on a toasted brioche bun, this fried chicken breast sandwich came out fresh and hot topped off with cole slaw, buttermilk ranch mayo, cured pickles, and most importantly... Tillamook cheddar cheese (we'll get back to that later).
We're going to rate this sandwich based off of 5 key factors:
- BITE-ABILITY - That first bite impression.
- TASTE - How was the overall taste?
- THE CHICKEN - Do they get the key ingredient right?
- SIZE/ COST ANALYSIS - Do you get your money's worth?
- THE EXTRA - Does it have that x-factor?
So what did we think? Let's get to it!
1. BITE-ABILITY - 8 out of 10
That first bite was solid. The bun is a nicely toasted and warm brioche bun, and you only had to unhinge your jaw slightly to get all the ingredients into that first bite. I'm all about balance so the ability to pack everything into that first bite is a big plus for me.
2. TASTE - 7 out of 10
Overall, the sandwich tasted... good. For the most part, the different elements of the sandwich melded well together. Between the the freshness of the cole slaw and the slightly vinegary crunch of the pickles, these two ingredients accented the chicken quite nicely. You top that off with the buttermilk ranch mayo to give it just enough of a creamy balance on a nicely toasted brioche bun - you've got yourself a a well-assembled fried chicken sandwich. And now for the main event...
3. THE CHICKEN - 6 out of 10
You can have the best toppings and dressings in the world, but what makes a fried chicken sandwich great is well... the chicken. Now, Birdie's got most of this right. The chicken breast had the right amount of crisp (though I'm on the side of extra crispy, personally). It was juicy when you bit into it which, believe it or not, is not always an easy task. Check and check, right? Now, here's where it got a bit disappointing. Chicken breast is an ingredient that's known to be a bit boring but when done well, it's the go-to for chefs around the world. But plain and simple - Birdie's chicken needs more flavor (and maybe just a dash more salt).
4. SIZE/ COST-ANALYSIS - 8 out of 10
The sandwich fit the size of my hand pretty nicely (and I don't have small hands), so that's always a plus in my book. It could have been just a tad bigger but in LA, the portions are a hit or a miss and Birdie's hit this mark pretty well. The sandwich costs $9 (USD) before tax, so post-tax you're looking at almost $10 for a freshly-made sandwich in one of the most expensive cities in the world. I know restaurants that would easily charge $14-$15 for this, so for the amount of food you get, I'd say this is a relatively good deal.
5. THAT EXTRA - 8 out of 10
Although, I was slightly disappointed in the taste of the chicken, Birdies had that one ingredient that gave it that extra oomph! Three worlds: Tillamook Cheddar Cheese. So simple but so good and it really helped make up for some of that flavor that was missing from the chicken. It melted perfectly onto the bun and just had that right amount of sharpness.
THE VERDICT - 7 out of 10
It may not be the perfect fried chicken sandwich, but Birdies has delivered a very well-done fried chicken sandwich to the City of Angels. They should indeed be proud. If you ever find yourself in downtown Los Angeles and craving some fried chicken, check out Birdies.
If you enjoyed this article, we'll be doing a whole series on the Best Fried Chicken Sandwiches in LA. Make sure to keep posted and subscribe for the latest from CLARK & CHLOE.