Sidechick does for roasted chicken what Patty & Bun has done for burgers. It’s perhaps no coincidence that the site is next door to the original P&B and that the venues share the same backers. The reason for paying a visit is not just for the opportunity to enjoy high-quality roast chicken, but also to revel in a vibe that sets Sideckick apart from its peers (Humble Chicken and Nando’s) on the same block.
This is a place where you might plausibly come for more than a meal. The angle is 1950’s diner (think booths) pimped for 21st Century London with dark lighting and neon fixtures. Funk was playing on the sound system and even when we visited – as the first customers on a weekday lunchtime – there was a certain edgy (in a good way) energy to Sidechick. A quick perusal of the cocktail list would suggest that an early evening visit to the venue before doing partying properly might be the market Sidechick is targeting. Beyond the upstairs space, the restaurant also extends to a lower floor where more of the same can apparently be found.
The menu is appealing. Sidechick keeps it simple by offering chicken done just three ways (sometimes there is a special too) with an accompanying selection of vegetables, salads, sides and sauces. Customers stump up just £12.50 for a half chicken or double that for the full bird. Both my comrade and I opted for the ‘piri piri’ option, favouring heat ahead of a classic lemon & herb combination or the fragrance of Middle Eastern za’atar-led mix. Plaudits to Sidechick for its elevation of this often-dull meat into something genuinely juicy and flavoursome. The succulence and texture of the chicken was superb enough to make it memorable. If I were to find fault, then it might simply be that the piri-inspired marinade was simply not spicy enough. However, this is probably a function of personal preference rather than the fault of the venue, even though my dining comrade also needed to augment his dish with bottled chilli sauce. Sides also pleased with the mustard vinaigrette accompanying the green salad of particular note. All-in, this venue merits a definite revisit for a quick and affordable lunch close to Oxford Street.