Surry Hills’ Favourite Chicken Shop is Teaming up With Australia's Top Chefs

inside Henrietta Surry hills — Image: @henrietta.chicken

Charcoal chicken shops are just about as ‘Sydney’ as it gets.

There seems to be one on every other corner—and for good reason! They’re a mainstay of the urban lifestyle here, loved by late-night drinkers and lunch-goers alike. Of course, they’re also starkly distributed along suburban lines, with Chargrill Charlie’s dominating the Northern Beaches, El Jannah ruling the west, Oporto in the east, and perhaps little room for anything else.

But that didn’t stop the creative team behind Surry Hills’ favourite high-end chicken shop.

Enter Henrietta. Relative newcomer to this crowded scene, Henrietta has already managed to break out from the pack, blending the traditions of its Lebanese roots with a generous helping of class and creativity.

What’s more, this humble charcoal chook shop has big ambitions for its first birthday today. In celebration, the restaurant is teaming up with some of Australia’s biggest names in Middle Eastern cuisine, Henrietta is treating dine-in guests to a punchy lineup of signature dishes every week, for three weeks only.

Keep scrolling for the low-down on Henrietta’s mouth-watering collaborations, and get yourself a limited-edition charcoal chicken meal today!

The Top Chefs and their Signature Dishes at Henrietta

The first dish up in the lineup comes from Tom Sarafian, former chef of the Melbourne icons Rumi and Bar Saracen. At these venues, Sarafian oversaw the reinvention of numerous Middle Eastern mainstays. Think house-made hummus, but with spanner crab and king prawns, or wagyu kofta, served raw like a steak tartare.

True to his reputation, Sarafian is delivering an inventive take on the traditional Palestinian dish Musakhan for Henrietta, that cranks the flavour up to the next level. The centrepiece chicken is marinated for 24 hours in a mixture of onion juice and olive oil before it hits the coals. This succulent and sweet masterpiece is then served with caramelised onions, sumac and pine nut butter, with a side of toasted pita and BBQ roasted cauliflower with cumin salt and lemon.

And if that doesn’t already have you booking your table right this minute, Sarafian’s very own (and very famous) homemade hummus is also available throughout the collaboration, exclusive to Henrietta.

Tom Sarafian’s ‘Musakhan’ - Image courtesy of Henrietta

Next up, week two introduces a spicy signature dish by Shane Delia, proprietor of the critically acclaimed Middle Eastern restaurant, Maha, of Melbourne. At Maha, Delia has built his impressive profile with his enduring respect for simplicity and tradition, with no-nonsense, exquisitely balanced renditions of Middle Eastern classics.

And his contribution to Henrietta is no different. This family-inspired number gets straight to the point, comprised of honey harissa-rubbed charcoal chicken, served with a simple and hearty side of grilled flat beans, tangy toum, zataar and crispy, golden chips.

Shane Delia Harissa Chicken Special — Shane Delia’s ‘Delia Chicken Special’ - Image Courtesy of Henrietta

Finally, the last week of the birthday bash will feature a dish by renowned chef Adam Wolfers. As creative lead and the Executive Chef of Gerard’s Bistro in Brisbane, Wolfers has eagerly explored a number of oft-overlooked Middle Eastern regional cuisines, remixing them for the contemporary Australian dining scene.

Wolfers’ signature dish at Henrietta does just that, blending traditional Yemeni flavours with the hearty charcoal chicken format. His ‘hawaij chicken’ is dressed in a warm and fragrant spice blend, accompanied by a crisp fatoush salad alongside zesty toum and a bright and punchy green chilli sauce known in Yemen as zhug.

Adam Wolfers’ ‘Hawaij Chicken’ - Image Courtesy of Henrietta

Throughout the collaboration, Henrietta will also be slinging a series of festive cocktails to really get the celebrations in order, including watermelon spritz, passionfruit margarita, lychee cosmopolitan and a classic negroni.

Hospitality, Bouncing Back Through Collaboration

As exciting as Henrietta’s birthday festivities are sure to be, this collaborative effort speaks to something even more promising for the recovering hospitality industry in Australia.

Of course, the past 18 months of hardship saw frequent closures, huge drops in revenue and the sad loss of far too many beloved institutions. But collaborative mutual support efforts like this represent a hopeful path forward and are a great way to reignite the once dependable patronage in cuisine-capitols like Sydney and Melbourne.

To see the full menu and lineup dates for this delicious celebration, click here.

Want to make a day of it? Check out these premium picnic essentials and take Henrietta out on the park today!

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