Belle's Hot Chicken

150-156 Gertrude St 

Fitzroy, VIC 3065
http://www.belleshotchicken.com/

After a week of having home-made rice paper rolls for lunch at work, I felt that I’d earned a meal at Belle’s Hot Chicken. And call it providence but, this also turned out to be an early celebratory dinner, as less than 12 hours later, I finally got my big break as a pharmacist! Hooray to working in prestigious hospitals!

The vibe here is diner-classy (yes that’s a thing now) and so is the food. Once night dropped, the bar and booths took on the glow of perpetual twilight, evoking with it a mood of quiet companionship and the promise of a night still young. 

Eschewing any beating around the bush, Belle’s Hot Chicken is exactly what it says on the packet – Meat, Heat, Sauces, Sides, Eat! The thoughtful box of wet wipes on the table gives a hint of what’s to come; there is also cutlery available but PFFT. Fish and mushrooms are available for those who don’t like fried chicken – a considerate addition. If you don’t like fried however, then you’re very much out of luck.

Hot Dark Meat (drumstick and thigh) ($16)

For $16, we were given the option of 3 cuts of chicken in 5 degrees of spiciness, all the way up to Really F**king Hot (sic). It was a no-brainer of a choice for me, and I went with the Hot Dark Meat (drumstick and thigh) ($16). The chicken was crazy juicy, and each bite left the fat dripping down my chin. The crisp, dry batter had a nice, smoky kick; between the sizzling fat and spices, I regretted not getting a tub of ranch sauce to cool things down. Luckily the chicken was served with a generous handful of sweet house-made pickles, so I doused the fire that way. 

Southern Tenders ($16) 

Mild-mannered Chris on the other hand ordered the Southern Tenders ($16) – a placid serve of 4 chicken strips coated in a warm mix of spice. Though not as juicy as the dark meat, these were nevertheless notably tender and moist, and the batter was flavoursome without overpowering the chicken. 

Almost Arnold’s Beans

Each serve of chicken also came with your choice of any side, and the first we had was the Almost Arnold’s Beans. Completely defying expectations, the string beans were cooked to a comforting mushiness in a pork hock stew, and then given a little pick-me-up with a hint of spice and pickle.  Frankly I could have this on its own as a meal, scooped over a bed of fluffy white rice. 

Hot Dark Meat with Almost Arnold's Beans ($16)/Southern Chicken Tenders with Old Bay Fries ($16)

And of course, the Old Bay Fries. These were cooked to perfection – the outside lightly bronzed, with a fluffy centre. Shaken over was the nostalgically savoury spice mix, and we had no trouble polishing them off.

Chocolate and Peanut Brittle Soft Serve ($6)

Our indulgent meal was wrapped up with a serve of Soft Serve ($6). This isn’t just any soft serve – the flavours change from day-to-day, and we were lucky enough to stumble upon the concoction of Chocolate and Peanut Brittle. The ice cream was light and smooth, almost like a just-frozen milkshake, and tinged with cocoa. Meanwhile the brittle was layered lavishly through the soft serve, the crunch of toffee shards combining addictively with crushed roasted peanuts. This is a soft serve that’s definitely worth the price tag.

In the end, fried chicken is just fried chicken, but there’s something to be said about even the most simple of dishes when they’re made to such a high standard. Plus, where else can you go that practically mandates ordering fried chicken? And if you say KFC, just wait until you try fried chicken that doesn’t leave a coat of grease in your mouth. Like Belle’s Hot Chicken.

Rating: 13.5/20 – beautiful hot chicks.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.