IT'S CHICKEN and chips 'taken to the next level', according to Jonathan Parkinson, co-director of newly announced Deansgate diner Bird and Beast.
"Chicken and chips has always been a favourite for us Brits, but we're taking it to the next level."
The independent rotisserie chicken restaurant, established in Leeds Central Arcade in May 2014 by Michelin Bib Gourmand chef Simon Shaw (El Gato Negro), has announced their second operation is to open in a 370 sq m Deansgate unit in early 2015.
The exact location is yet to be announced.
Bird and Beast, Leeds
Bird and Beast's ethos appears to be a simple one - rotisserie cooked free range chicken sourced from Sykes House Farms in the Yorkshire Wolds.
An independent back-yard Nandos impersonator with a conscience, Bird and Beast aims to 'take a peck' at the popular global restaurant chain.
"As an indie company we really care about the provenance and quality of our chickens," Parkinson told us. "By focusing on one ingredient we hope that the quality and flavour of our chickens will shine through.
Bird and Beast double-marinate their chickens overnight in the restaurant's signature rub recipe, before steaming and roasting the birds over cherry wood chips and charcoal on a custom-made rotisserie spit.
Bird and Beast chicken
Bird and Beast will offer salads too
The Leeds restaurant charge £16.50 for a whole chicken, £8.75 for a half and £5 for a quarter - which comes in slightly more expensive than Nandos.
Parkinson thinks it's worth it. "Chicken and chips has always been a favourite for us Brits, but we're taking it to the next level.
"We're offering a really simple concept executed to a high standard with passion. We believe we're offering something Manchester doesn't have at the moment.
So why Manchester so soon after opening their first restaurant in Leeds?
"I have a great affinity with Manchester having spent a large amount of my youth dancing away the hours at the Hacienda," says Parkinson. "It's a fantastic, vibrant place with an amazing buzz and the hospitality scene in the city is really thriving at the moment. We can't wait to add another new and exciting dimension to it with the opening of Bird and Beast."
See here for the Bird and Beast menu, including a solid collection of beer (from £3.75) and an impressive wine selection (starting at £3.95 a glass and £15 a bottle).
Bird and Beast, Leeds
Bird and Beast corn on the cob
