You know that delicious smell of hot fried chicken? The one that immediately makes your mouth water and your whole body fuzzy and warm? Belle’s Hot Chicken is the answer to all your prayers. After getting their start in Melbourne, chefs Morgan McGlone and Aaron Turner set their sights on Sydney and now, thank the chicken gods, have two successful diners in Sydney. The first permanent Belle's home was in the Glebe Tramsheds and more recently, the oceanside Barangaroo.
You’ll probably be able to follow your nose as the smell lures you in the right direction, but you can find McGlone’s epic chicken shop on the south end of Barangaroo’s lifestyle hub, Wulugul Walk, open seven days a week, eat in or takeaway.
The steps are simple: pick a cut from tenders, drummies, wings (or mushrooms, if you're so inclined); pick a heat; and grab a side. Heat ranges from mild up to 'really f**king hot' and if you're opting for the latter, you may want to douse that flame with a glass of natty wine, a local tinnie or a peach iced tea with a kick of bourbon for courage.
Three-cheese mac'n'cheese will bolster your plate if you're keen a hit of carbs, but if you want the full Tennessee experience, whack the chicken between two slices of white bread with lettuce, pickles, cheese and onions and dive in face first. Don't forget the wet-naps, you're gonna need them.