Daybird

After closing her critically acclaimed restaurant, Nightshade, during the pandemic, Mei Lin opened up this fast-casual hot fried chicken takeout operation—and boy, am I glad she did. Perched in a Silver Lake-adjacent strip mall, Daybird distinguishes itself from the sea of Nashville-style operations with a unique Sichuan-style spice blend that delivers a dose of heat from a different part of the globe. Coated in rice flour and fried in rice bran oil, the lightweight, crispy pieces of jidori chicken seem to shatter on first bite, whether you’re opting for the tenders or the equally delicious sandwich piled high with jalapeño cabbage slaw. In short, it’s sheer culinary genius—and if you aren’t a fan of not being able to feel the bottom half of your face after a meal, Daybird now offers a much milder Taiwanese popcorn chicken spice blend. Pescetarians can enjoy a newer hot cod sandwich, which comes topped with cheese and yuzu tartar sauce.