Hawking Bird — Restaurant in Oakland

When this place first opened I became a super fan, as a gluten free person so was so happy to be able to get gluten free friend chicken. It was great, I’m also a chef who has ran chicken restaurants in the south so I’m pretty picky. Over the past couple years though the quality of the food has deeply diminished. About a year and a half ago I ordered the fried chicken rice plate to go. Got home and my fried chicken wasn’t fried all the way, it had raw flour tucked into all the folds of the chicken. I was so grossed out I threw up. I decided not to go back for about six months, next time I went I was sure to order it extra crispy. Got home and the same thing happened. I gave up, recently my friend surprised me with lunch, it was the fried chicken plate from here. I took one bite and bit into raw flour again, I gagged and threw up. Then had horrible stomach pains for the next two days. My boyfriend who seriously eats anything, took one bite and threw it in the trash.

Hawking bird please fry your chicken properly. If you use chicken with skin or folds flour gets inside of it, it must be cooked all the way. If you are only temping to 165 that flour that’s tucked inside the chicken probably isn’t cooked throughout. Make sure you are temping, make sure when your temp it’s not over the fryer, make sure when you temp you stick the thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken. You should probably over temp because it’s better to have crispy chicken then raw soggy fried chicken.

I probably won’t ever come back, but hopefully my honest review will help your kitchen improve and not get...

When BWS close, I didn't know what was going to replace them. However, that didn't take long to figure out. When James Syhabout name was mentioned, I just knew I had to get more information on it. This is also part of my job being a consultant, I'm always curious as to what the next business will bring in. Came by about three weeks before the soft opening checking things out. As of now, there's no alcoholic beverages just yet. However, the license is pending and it'll be coming soon. After paying you'll be given a vibrating pager when it goes off you pick it up yourself. Seating is available at counter or any table with all utensils/condiments being self-service. My KMG plus fried egg dish was flavorful and tasty. Chicken pieces cut evenly into half inch slivers with skin barely attached. It was moist not much fat other than skin fat. I didn't eat any skin. First bite and fiber were stringy and peeling off with ease. Make sure to dip them in ginger fermented soybean sauce to maximize experience. Even the egg was perfect as it had runny yolk and burnt round edges. On the bottom were seasoned rice and it tastes really good too. I ended up eating everything including slices of julien cucumbers and cilantro sprigs. Next time it'll...

Michelin-star Chef James Syhabout brings brilliance to this fast-casual fusion counter service gem.

Every bite had us laughing and oohing at the amazing flavors. We shared bites of every amazing dish. I had the spicy fried chicken sandwich which dripped homemade Thai oil, slaw, and jalapeno aioli. Wow!

My partner had the BBQ chicken sandwich with rich, dark, smoky tamarind sauce and bright pickles and fresh herbs and mint leaves. The blistered green beans with bacon and Prik Khing curry were life-changingly good. And the tots with secret seasoning (lemon grass?) Ooh, la, la!

Our friends got bowls; one got the fried chicken bowl (clearly labeled that one of the sauces contained gluten, so she subbed out for the delicious dark wing sauce and a GF meal) another friend the KMG and broth bowl which made for the best rice any of us had ever had.

The canned spicy margaritas were likewise fantastic, served over ice with paper-thin dried lime wheels.

We ate like kings and left happy, riding endorphins down the block, telling other friends about the amazing place we'd found. I even bought the cookbook! Thank you, Hawking...