As The Chick is currently overseas and building a repertoire of China Chicken joints to visit, Hollywood invited a rabble of guests (the Mad Macedonian, The SatMan, The Captain, Hollywood himself and Fidel) to Belles in Fitzroy to see how things were going in Melbourne Fried Chicken land.
It was very busy when we arrived, the wait for a table was 15 minutes at least. We were offered a drink and the next door bar.
The vibe was great. They were playing Saturday Night Fever on Vinyl! This made the Captain very happy.
The Menu had everything you would want from a Chicken House
We were all pretty hungry and wanted to get into the main course so we skipped snacks. We all ordered Tenders with sides. The big decision though was ‘how hot’. The Captain wanted to go all out but was talked out of it. Instead we all went HOT apart from The macedonian who can’t handle heat of any kind and went southern instead. We were told that ‘Hot’ had some bite, and it certainly did.
Sides ordered by the team were a picture of Old Bay Fries and Broccoli and Almond Salad. Food arrived within 10 minutes.
Serving sizes were generous with 4-5 tenders of decent size accompanied by fresh pickles and your chosen side.
The Chicken was both Hot (spicy) and served Hot (heat). The breading was not soggy at all, stayed on the chicken without falling off, and had a good amount of crispiness when eaten. The chicken was cooked fresh and was hot(heat) and moist. Mixed with the hot spice it was very tasty without being so hot that you felt uncomfortable. Hot (spicy) was Hot enough to make a nose run but not eyes as well.
The fries were very crispy and tasty and served hot(heat) as with the chicken. No one went hungry.
Hollywood had a dipping sauce to add to the overall experience. The menu had a number of sauces to choose from.
The broccoli salad was tasty and complemented the meal well if you didn’t go for the fries.
Surprisingly to the Captain, the chicken was served on a piece of white bread which absorbed excess Hot Sauce whilst leaving you the option to eat the bread also. Very Thoughtful.
Overall the rabble of guest reviewers were very happy.
Recommendation:
Belles Hot Chicken doesn’t disappoint. Hot is Hot and don’t go any hotter unless you value tasting the Heat perhaps over tasting the chicken. Southern was reported as not Hot (spicy) but very appetising for those who can’t handle the heat. Fries were great, sides taken were all very good.
The Captains Rating: 9.5/10 Clucks
Hollywoods Rating: 9.5/10 Clucks
Address: 150-156 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy VIC
The Chicken Scene 