Ben's Charcoal Chicken, Bangsar

Here's one reason to chicken out: The BIG Group's latest restaurant revamp is a crackin' good egg, forking out more cluck for your buck with chicken that's charcoal-cooked with fiery Australian-inspired flair. Newly launched this month, Ben's Charcoal Chicken is a cheerfully casual eatery that promises to be Bangsar's friendliest neighbourhood chicken shop.

Customers have two choices of chicken here - the Classic Grilled (the signature secret recipe, with hints of sesame, garlic and onions) and the Spicy Piri-Piri Grilled (channelling that internationally popular African-Portuguese kick).

The squawk-worthy chicken surfaces with a sultry-saucy smokiness from the restaurant's Josper oven, each bite rich and juicy with barbecue heat, marinated to robust poultry perfection - lip-smacking comfort food for fowl-craving carnivores.

For full-bodied one-plate sustenance, order the chicken on pilaf rice with pomegranates, herbs and Persian yogurt garlic sauce - a contemporary Mideast meal that's bursting with vibrant nuances (RM20). Alternatively, you can savour the succulent, substantial chicken on its own, in portions of a quarter (RM15), half (RM25) or whole (RM45).

The chicken pita pocket also more than merits a visit, essentially evoking a protein-propelled burger, a hearty heap of tender meat brightened with pickled radish and Lebanese toum garlic sauce in fluffy-crisp bread, ideal for folks who love sinking their teeth into a big, burly burger, coupled with fabulous fries flavoured with chicken salt for a confident kick (RM20).

Sidekicks, sauces and sips: Ben's Charcoal Chicken sticks to a simple, fuss-free menu, but there's still plenty of thought and imagination poured into this place to keep things distinctive.

The fries, for example, aren't an afterthought at all - the Benten Bonito Fries are loaded with shaved bonito flakes and furikake seasoning for a fluttery spike of Japanese-style umami (RM15), while the Alabama sweet potato fries are crowd-pleasing enough to rouse up a round of Lynrd Skynyrd on the restaurant's speakers (RM18), relished perhaps with an extra portion of piri-piri ketchup or one of the kitchen's other own-made sauces.

For a fibre counterbalance, have the roasted sesame yuzu coleslaw, a wonderfully lively recipe that banishes nightmares of cloying fast-food versions (RM8), washed down with down-home drinks like sweet tea (RM5) and pomegranate coolers (RM8).

Many thanks to Ben's Charcoal Chicken for having us here.

Ben's Charcoal Chicken by The BIG Group

11B, Lorong Kurau, Taman Weng Lock, Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur.
Open Tues-Sun, 12pm-11pm. Tel: 03-2280-0073

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com