Melbourne has fallen in love with Fitzroy chicken joint Belles Hot Chicken (also in Sydney, but we won't hold that against it). We loved it when the restaurant expanded and bought a food truck. And we're pretty sure we're going to love the new CBD location, in the Galleria shopping centre.
Many of those who love Belles love it because the chicken is, well, hot. 'Really fuckin' hot', to be exact (yes, that is an actual order at Belles). If you are one of those chilli fiends who orders 'really fuckin' hot' and thinks "ya know, this is nice, but I'd really like to feel like my head was about to explode, and I have cancelled all my plans for tomorrow", the new joint is probably the one for you. Belles is leveling up yet again, with the new heat designation 'sex panther'. Larissa Dubecki described 'really fuckin' hot' as simulating "the experience of having your head blown off while angels sing the tunes of the Wu-Tang Clan", so you've been warned, sex panther enthusiasts.
And as 2018 really seems to be the year of the nug, Belles is getting into the nugget game, too. The Galleria location will be serving up hot chicken nuggets alongside Belles favourites like the hot chicken sandwich and chicken and waffles. As in Fitzroy, the wine list focuses on natural and low-intervention wines.
The new Belles will open in October.