Absurd Bird, Aldgate – tried and tasted

This new spot on Commercial Street serves up numerous styles of chicken, all cooked with inspiration from the food of America’s Deep South. That means wings galore, fried chicken and whole grilled birds.

As its name suggests, it’s not a simple as that though. Absurd Bird is more than happy to embrace the quirky at every turn, and that means mixing and matching flavours from all corners of the globe – harissa, bao, beetroot and remoulade all feature.

Mismatched chairs, shabby wood panels, exposed ventilation and gauze set a generic backdrop to a few fun features. The lights are housed in bird cages, bird houses are dotted around the room and binoculars hang over tables — in order to be able to spot the birds which have escaped from said cages, we’re told.

For all the fun and games, thankfully there are some serious skills in the kitchen. The wings are a particular speciality. They come coated in a crisp crumb and are fat, fleshy and moist. Oh, and they’re absolutely massive — the chickens they use may well have a pterodactyl or two in the family lineage.

Grilled chicken, available as a quarter, half or whole, is similarly well proportioned and juicy, though its tepid, un-coloured skin and accompanying ‘sweet gravy’ are less instantly appealing.

A jalepeno mac ‘n’ cheese makes an indulgent side order, while fried pickles served with ranch dressing are Class A on the addictivity scale.

The Dipsy is the dessert which comes most highly recommended by staff at Absurd Bird, and it’s big enough for two to share. It is not a spit-roast sugar-glazed teletubby, but it’s hard to say exactly what it is. Part cake, part brioche and part flattened doughnut, it’s a franken-pudding that you can rip chunks off like tear and share garlic bread and dip in accompaniments of chocolate, caramel and cream. It’s also glazed with sugar and soaked in some sort of booze — it’s enjoyable at the time, sickly soon after.

There are cocktails — and a separate cocktail bar downstairs — and a big focus on the restaurant’s own moonshine (which is rather palatable), though an own branded pale ale and a decent selection of beers, wines and spirits are also on hand.

Final flavour: Great wings and plenty of good things, even if somewhat barmy.

At what cost? It’s fairly reasonable. The supersize wings are £6 for four, while chickens start at £7 a quarter.

Visit if you like: Bird, Chick ‘n’ Sours, Chicken Liquor.

Follow Ben Norum on Twitter @BenNorum

Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout