Chatswood’s on-street hole-in-the-wall joints will make you glad you ventured outside the food courts. Sandwiched between an old-school barbershop and a beauty salon on Archer Street, Gallus Gallus rewards with quirky Korean charm and kick-arse fried chicken.
There’s not much inside – in fact it’s just the kitchen and a small corridor. Instead, you’ll be propped up at one of the nine stainless steel tables in the courtyard out the back. There’s a table-top call-bell and K-pop blasts from the speakers. On a chilly winter night two mushroom heaters don’t do a great job of warming the place up, so when we spy a hotpot on the menu it’s the first thing we order. The cook-it-yourself, half-metre dish is filled with diced chicken thigh, dense rice sausage noodles and veggies. It's warming, but too heavy on the chilli sauce without delivering much flavour. Opt for the chilli pork and rice: it’s got more depth, with soft pork shreds doused in a rich, fiery red sauce, complemented by hits of crunchy kimchi, a side of 'slaw, a scattering of sesame seeds and green onion to top it off.
The real reason we are here, though, is to get involved with the fried chicken. Order up a half or full serve – you can also choose wings, breast, or a mix – and get ready for some finger-licking fun. Go half-and-half and order original and a flavoured number: there's herbs and garlic, sweet and spicy or garlic soy. The extra-crisp, golden coating seals in the juicy chicken. Nab a wing or drumstick for equal parts crunch and tender meat. Add some Korean beers and you've got a winning combo.