Birdies
Samples: French Toast, Pistachio Lemon Thyme
Birdie’s Original – Fried Chicken Breast Sandwich, Cole Slaw, Buttermilk Ranch Mayo, Tilamook Cheddar & Cured Pickles
Birdie’s Breakfast Sandwich – Over Easy Egg, Bacon, Fried Chicken Tenders, Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, Tillamook Cheddar, Birdie’s Special Sauce
Horchata Twist with Dulce de Leche Glaze
Strawberry White Chocolate
Bananas Foster with Caramel and Banana Chips
Pumpkin Spice with Candied Pepitas
Recently opened in Downtown Los Angeles, a location at 314 West Olympic Blvd and 24-hour weekends making the small shop as popular with the late night crowd as it is with those stopping in for fresh Donuts for the office as early as 7am on weekdays, Birdies brings the concept of Chicken and Donuts to the city that made Chicken and Waffles a “thing” back in the late 90s…and they do so in a very good way.
Owned by Chef Jason Harley, his former Mabel’s generally well regarded but never embraced in a way suited to long-term profitability, Birdies originally opened to improve DTLA’s Doughnut and Coffee scene to a level on par with artisans in Venice and Santa Monica, the Chicken added as a result of the Chef’s famous Fried Bird and now ordered almost as frequently as the Yeasted or Cake rings crafted from Organic Flour and Cage-Free Eggs in a variety of flavors that change daily.
Probably best described as trendy-but-not-hipster, the soundtrack more Katy Perry than Black Keys on a Wednesday night preceding Thanksgiving with the Kings playing at Staples Center, it was with samples of all flavors offered that our group of three was greeted, an explanation that everything is made fresh as dictated by the day’s demand leading to a six-piece order followed by a ten-minute wait during which four Doughnuts were devoured.
Offering few Classics but several novelties, the texture of yeasted selections not-unlike the springy Brioche of Blue Star, bites of Cinnamon French Toast and Pistachio Lemon Thyme were both pleasant, if not particularly memorable, the twisted Horchata with Salty Caramel a far more compelling bite, as too was the all-natural riff on Dunkin’s Pink Classic while the best bites were found in a pocket featuring boozed-up Banana Pudding and light Whipped Cream decorated with dehydrated Fruit chips.
Happy to see that Cake Donuts also fare nicely, the seasonal Pumpkin Spice only marred by the decision to favor eyes over mouth by placing a single dollop of cream on the ring, it was just as the last bites were being tasted that two stacked Sandwiches emerged from the kitchen, the Original placing a juicy Breast beneath Cole Slaw tinged in Buttermilk plus a slice of Cheddar and Housemade Pickles while the all-day Breakfast Sandwich undoubtedly required a fork + knife approach with hand-breaded Chicken Tenders and Bacon competing for the spotlight beneath melted Cheese, an Over Easy Egg and piquant “Special Sauce.”
http://birdiesla.com/
