When I asked my husband to come to dinner with me last week, he declared it one of the nicest requests I’ve ever texted him.
I’d like to think it was the company, but we both know it was the mention of charcoal chicken.
It’s been a running theme of our relationship, bonding over our benchmark: his a spot from his Melbourne days, mine a Surry Hills haunt I visited during a work trip in Sydney. My first experience there — slow-cooked chook with the all important selection of Barbie pink pickles and toum — was so good, I turned down room service in my robe and the wealth of harbourside stunners to go for round two.
So when word got around that Larry’s Charcoal Chicken had opened in Subiaco, I knew it had our names on it.
It comes from the team behind Shui and Lupe’s, which meant my expectations were high before I’d even read its hefty promise: “Perth’s best charcoal chicken” with all the proper trimmings.
Alongside the series of small plates, the menu is centred around its three hero proteins with the option of its namesake, slow-roasted lamb or eggplant. From there it’s choose your own adventure by adding dips or sides, or devour in bread or bowl form.
There was a lunchtime buzz as we arrived at the new digs, tucked down a laneway off Roberts Road. Within a minute our waiter had offered to drop the blinds against the wind, a very welcomed suggestion given Perth’s penchant for wind tunnels.
We started with the spiced beef manti ($20 for four), which for the similarly unacquainted are Turkish dumplings, with Larry’s version served with a garlic yoghurt, bell pepper chilli jam and crunchy bits. No notes — would happily devour the meaty morsels again.
Before its signature dish hit the table, we shared the bowl lunch special, teaming its fattoush salad with crispy lamb ($21). While I wouldn’t describe the four generous portions as crispy, they were certainly well-cooked and pulled apart with no effort. The richness of the lamb was complemented by the freshness of the salad, and a last-minute order of zhug (fresh herb sauce) brightened it even further.
Finally, the reason we came. The charcoal chicken (we went for the half $24, it’s $38 for the full) did what we’d hoped: tender and with tasty skin. The toum was excellent and strong enough to keep the vampires at bay. As for the pickles — baby cucumbers and turnips — I could have taken a touch more pickling on the cucumber, and less crunch on the turnip, but that comes down to personal taste.
Larry’s is the kind of place you can drop in for a casual meal, eat very well and be back at your desk or running weekend errands within the hour.
It didn’t knock our benchmarks off their perches, but we’ll certainly be back.
The verdict: 16/20
Good chook, fresh ingredients, quick service — worth the garlic breath.
Larry’s Charcoal Chicken
375c Roberts Road, Subiaco
OPEN Sunday & Tuesday, 11.30am-8pm; Wednesday, 11.30am-9.30pm, Thursday to Saturday, 11.30am-9pm
BOOKINGS Yes
CONTACT larryscharcoalchicken.com
