The team behind Pickl bring quality fried chicken and funky beats to City Walk

Article by Time Out Dubai

Fried chicken is often a greasy, end-of-the-night, worry-about-it-in-the-morning option. From the world’s most famous colonel to the jolly bees of Southeast Asia, there’s an option any time of day in any part of town, usually for pretty low prices.

So, what does it take to get the masses to convert to a new, home-grown, lightly more expensive brand than the others? If anyone should know, it’s the team behind Dubai burger powerhouse Pickl, which has expanded hugely since opening in JLT.

BonBird’s USP is using hormone-, preservative- and antibiotic-free chicken, but is that enough to bring in the crowds? It can’t hurt, but we’d say the fact it’s delicious will go a long way towards its success.

As soon as the opening was announced, there were people waiting to get into the City Walk store (it’s next door to Pickl). And BonBird’s popularity has anything but slowed down since.

The cosy space is busy and there’s a steady stream of deliveries being picked up at all times. It’s a cool spot, with a strong red-and-white identity running throughout. Music is fittingly from the US South, playing the best in rare and popular soul and funk.

BonBird specialises in bone-in chicken but if you prefer yours without, there are tenders available, too.

The chicken itself is clearly better quality than your usual fast-casual. Meaty, with all the true taste and texture of good chicken, and happily coated in a consistently crunchy batter.

The sauce situation could be more subtle, with not much between mild and so-hot-its-unbearable, but go for the gravy and you’ll find it’s the real, viscous deal.

Outside of the buckets of bone-in, the chicken sandwich melt is a highlight. Social media will go mad for the cheese pull moment, you should just enjoy the combination of that crispy chicken, soft bread and gooey bedfellow that confirms this is very much a fried chicken grilled cheese.

You’d also be wise to try the fries with chicken salt. After, no other fries will do. Much like Pickl, BonBird’s don’t bring much to the party if ordered plain.

There seems no reason to think that BonBird can’t replicate Pickl’s success in expanding to more places in Dubai and across the region. For now, head to City Walk and enjoy being one of the OGs.

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