daybird

"At Daybird in Virgil Village, the hot chicken sandwich looks less like the Nashville classic and more like a large serving of spicy Chongqing chicken. Rather than receiving several coatings of dry rub and chili oil, these boneless chicken breasts are dipped in oil that’s seasoned with chiles de arbol and Sichuan peppercorns. This sandwich is a bit deceiving because it doesn’t look blatantly spicy from its golden brown skin. However, don’t be fooled because the chicken packs a serious Sichuan kick. Daybird’s hot chicken sandwich has quickly become one of our lunchtime go-to’s with its sharp slaw consisting of chives, red peppers, and crunchy cabbage to complement the juicy chicken, which is some of the best we’ve had in a long time." - sylvio martins

"For a chicken sandwich that looks like a frisbee slapped between bread, head to Daybird. The thinly-pounded cutlets are nearly twice the bun’s size, so you don’t get any of the zesty chive-cabbage slaw and pickled chiles until you’re halfway through—something we don’t mind because the Sichuan-spiced chicken is so superb. This causal Virgil Village strip mall spot marinates its poultry in a mouth-tingling mixture of chile de arbol and Sichuan peppercorns, which delivers the spiciness you’d want from hot chicken, minus the constant need to wipe sauce from your lips. If you want something with less burn, they also do a Tawainese popcorn chicken-inspired sandwich topped with fried basil. " - sylvio martins, nikko duren, garrett snyder, arden shore

"Chef Mei Lin’s fried chicken sandwich is the centerpiece at Daybird, but the chicken tenders are not to be missed. She uses thigh meat for the sandwiches and juicy white meat for the tenders. The fries are the ideal crisp golden brown as well, which is a wonderful complement to the Sichuan-spiced sandwich." - Rebecca Roland, Eater Staff

"Daybird’s sandwich, made by chef Mei Lin, starts with a buttermilk-brined cod that undergoes a three-stage breading process. The fish is fried and set on a potato bun before it’s slathered with a house-made tartar sauce that includes chives, yuzu kosho, and yuzu juice." - Rebecca Roland

"While the fried chicken and fried fish sandwiches are the star at Mei Lin’s casual Daybird in Silver Lake, the $4 fries might be the best bang-for-the-buck side order in town. Crisp, light, and on a paler side of golden brown, these fast-food-style fries are what McDonald’s wishes its fries could be." - Matthew Kang, Virali_Dave