Dirty Bird To Go

[Mayhaw Man]

Dirty Bird, a new takeout chicken joint being launched by Alison Vines-Rushing and Slade Rushing, formerly of Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar in NY and currently operating the excellent Longbranch in bucolic Abita Springs, LA have started a chicken frying operation in New York. I'm sure it will be excellent, but I've got to tell you, these people are my friends and they need some sleep. Yikes. The hardest working couple in show business, for sure.

[H. du Bois]

Just read about them today - must have been in the Times. Will check them out. Do you know the street location?

[rozrapp]

Just read about them today - must have been in the Times.  Will check them out. Do you know the street location?

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Acc. to the NY Times article:

On Monday they will open Dirty Bird to Go, a tiny fried chicken takeout spot at 204 West 14th Street with a few seats.

[Mayhaw Man]

According to today's NYT article:

In addition to takeout, there will be delivery from Houston to 23rd Streets, between Fifth Avenue and the Hudson River; (212) 620-4836.

[H. du Bois]

Thanks for the info!

[raxelita]

Another great takeout chicken shack, Pies and Thighs just opened up in South Williamsburg on South 5th and Kent. Owners Steven and Sara are North Carolinians who make killer to-order fried chicken, which they serve along with homeade key lime pie, biscuits, mashed potatoes, collard greens, cookies, the whole deal. Everything I've had so far has been superb.

I'll look forward to doing a comparison with Dirty Bird.

Fried Chicken!

[Holly Moore]

Either of these places pan frying chicken?

Mayhaw Man - got any chicken frying friends, relatives, in-laws you can send Philadelphia way?

[Mayhaw Man]

On the whole, Holly, all of my friends would rather be in Philadelphia. Who wouldn't?

I don't know, if they can make this one work, who knows? It's a pretty interesting idea.

[raxelita]

Pies and Thighs, which only opened officially last week, is currently deep frying, though they started off pan. Steven said he was able to get the same crisp to juicy ratio-- so he's going deep for now--though things are still maleable.

Are you a pan-fried loyalist, Holly? What do you feel are the benefits over deep?

[Holly Moore]

No basis in fact. Just gullet-feel. But for me, with pan fry, the crust is not as hard, the crust has more flavor, and the chicken is juicier. My guess is that this depends a lot on the skill of the person doing the frying and that pan frying, by its nature, is often more personal and perhaps tended to with a little more love.

[Bond Girl]

The press release is still warm in my inbox, and already, some friends are talking about it. Dirty Bird will be a takeout place that offers Chicken (organic and free range) cooked three ways to go with a choice of seasonal sides. Apparently, Allison and Slade plans to come up to NYC twice a month as their restaurant in N.O is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Dirty Bird To Go

208 West 14th Street

New York, NY 10011

(212)620-4836

www.dirtybirdtogo.com

press release from ana jovancicevic

[Luckylies]

stupid phone line's been busy all day. CHICKEN!!!!!!! GIVE ME CHICKEN!!!!!!!!!!!

[beayang]

I just spoke to someone - they should be open at the end of the week! bawk!

[RobinsonCuisine]

I just spoke to someone - they should be open at the end of the week!  bawk!

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I live nearby and it looks more like next Monday at the earliest.

[TAPrice]

Is it true that this is the start of a national chain?

[docsconz]

Does anyone know where they are sourcing their chicken? Free-range, organic or basic factory? Price points?

Good fried chicken is a special meal. I kinda like pan-fried myself, although deep-fried isn't a slouch either.

Interesting timing to open a chicken venture with the potential for avian flu to become a a real crisis. I'm not saying they shouldn't have done it or that they have taken a big risk, I just wonder if that possibility was considered. It would have been interesting to have been a fly on the wall during that discussion. Fortunately for all the blips out of Europe, Asia and Africa it does not yet appear to have become a major major scourge (knocking hard on wood ). By all accounts in the Medical literature that I have read it is expected to arrive in the US in the not too distant future and has the potential to be truly devastating.

[juuceman]

Does anyone know where they are sourcing their chicken? Free-range, organic or basic factory? Price points?

Good fried chicken is a special meal. I kinda like pan-fried myself, although deep-fried isn't a slouch either.

there's a link above to their website which indicates that the chicken is Free-range; $6.99 for 2 pieces of chicken, without any sides. That's expensive in my book.

[bpearis]

they're open now, though their deep-fryers aren't working so everything is being pan-fried. right after i placed my order they told customers it was rotisserie-only for the next hour.

i got a leg and thigh, both of which were very good. very moist. batter coulda used more salt. i got the seasonal vegetable of the day -- sugarsnap peas -- which were really good.

biggest complaint: they gave me one insufficient napkin... and no wetnaps!

[Daniel]

Bpearis,

Sounds like they are expecting you to lick yo fingers..

[adamru]

I was there about 130pm and I was told there would be no more fried chicken for the rest of the day though they were filling the orders of people waiting, so I just missed it. apparently they're having a problem with the temperature and it's coming out undercooked. also there are no cookies yet.

fortunately everyone seemed accepting of this and willing to try the rotisserie, though customers seemed surly and the counterpeople a bit overwhelmed by them. they should put up a sign that says they're out of fried chicken so you don't wait in line to place your order and not find out til you're at the front because that wasn't going well, especially when everyone can see the kitchen test-frying pieces in the back.

the quarter chicken, there's no surcharge for white meat but at these prices there shouldn't be. it was a good sized piece and I got a side of the slow roasted potatoes and a piece of cornbread, that was $9.75 with tax. I thought the potatoes should have been softer, they had a snap when I bit them.

I'll definitely go back for the fried chicken and the place smells amazing.

[H. du Bois]

Probably best not to go till they iron the kinks out. I've never been able to pass judgement on any restaurant's merits based on their first couple of weeks. It will take its form soon.

[adamru]

I'm not arguing it takes a restaurant time to work out kinks, and I had the fried chicken just now and it was excellent, sweeter than I've ever had anywhere and very good. It's rare to have fast food fried chicken where you can appreciate the quality of the meat. The 8 piece was breasts and legs which was great and worth the price. But the $3-$4 price for the sides... I appreciate the quality over quantity issue but there were about ten sugar snap peas in one container, a few chopped pieces of asparagus in the other. The potatoes and mac and cheese are good sized portions and values. The lemonade, I think there's basil in it and it's a great savory contrast to the sweetness of the chicken. The bags of 6 badass fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, they're little bigger than quarters and they have the feel and flavor of chocolate chip shortbread.

[RobinsonCuisine]

Stopped by today and had the rotisseri. Good, but not terrific considering the price. I'm looking forward to the fried and the mac and cheese.

The landlord has a rep of being difficult (read lots of problems), so hope they can make a go of it.

[Daniel]

I'm not arguing it takes a restaurant time to work out kinks, and I had the fried chicken just now and it was excellent, sweeter than I've ever had anywhere and very good. It's rare to have fast food fried chicken where you can appreciate the quality of the meat. The 8 piece was breasts and legs which was great and worth the price. But the $3-$4 price for the sides... I appreciate the quality over quantity issue but there were about ten sugar snap peas in one container, a few chopped pieces of asparagus in the other. The potatoes and mac and cheese are good sized portions and values. The lemonade, I think there's basil in it and it's a great savory contrast to the sweetness of the chicken. The bags of 6 badass fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, they're little bigger than quarters and they have the feel and flavor of chocolate chip shortbread.

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Thanks for review Adam.. Why is the chicken sweeter then you have had. Was the sweetness from the brining or the dip or just the bird?

Edited April 23, 2006 by Daniel (log)

[brooklyncook]

Had some of their chicken on Friday: both the fried strips and the rotisserie.

The rotisserie chicken was cooked perfectly, and the fried chicken strips (or fingers, I forget how it's listed on the menu) were also done perfect. Practically no grease, light breading, HUGE pieces of chicken. Really impressed with that.

However, my one complaint -- it seemed like nothing was seasoned that much. I expected some sort of spice combination to be in the fried chicken breading, but nothing I could detect. (On the flip side, it was a very light, tasty breading all by itself.)

I would definitely dine on their food again; I chalk this up to it being the soft opening of the business.