Night revellers and foodies of the far north need not travel to the city for a quality bite to eat and drink, with Young and Frisky attracting people from across Canberra right to the Gungahlin community’s doorstep.
If you’re like me and not impartial to treating yo’ self every now and then (*cough* every day) and love getting your hands dirty while diving into a bucket of crispy fried chicken then this is the place for you.
The pub also combines a love for rum and whisky – the perfect accompaniment to these golden crispy morsels of goodness, bringing the best of Southern American food and exotic whiskies from all over the world to the heart of Gungahlin.
“Our fried chicken is quite light because we use pure buttermilk,” owner Nick Parkinson says.
“It goes through the first flour which is made of salt, pepper and three different types of flour, then it goes into the buttermilk and finished off back in the flour again with 18 secret herbs and spices before being pressure fried, so it’s extra crunchy and juicy at the same time.
“It’s my favourite dish on the menu. It’s very addictive but not good on the hips.”
Have it as an entrée, share plate with mates or in bulk as a main meal for one (guilty!) – a trip to Young & Frisky is not complete unless you’ve ordered some chicken wings.
The process is simple and efficient, which means less waiting time and more time to indulge – choose your chicken (4 pieces of wings, thighs, drumsticks or mixed + 1 side for $18); choose your sides (butter buns, crinkle cut fries coated with Frisky shake, coleslaw, mac and cheese, pickled vegetables, buttermilk biscuits and gravy, and mash and gravy for $6 each); and lastly, choose your sauce (garlic aioli, Memphis BBQ, blue cheese ranch, buffalo sauce, lemon and herb, chicken gravy, chipotle and Canadian maple, and brandy mushroom – all made in-house ranging from 90 to over 90,000 on the Scoville heat unit).
If you’re in a sharing mood go for the Frisky Bucket for $59, which includes 12 mixed pieces of fried chicken, three sides and four sauces.
Although the chicken is the star of the show at the pub, a stand-out in the sides has to be the mac and cheese, made with four different kinds of cheese and finished with a sprinkle of parmesan and breadcrumbs that add a crisp texture and cuts through the richness of the creamy pasta to balance it out.
Another classic is the Buffalo Wings – southern fried wingettes served with spicy buffalo sauce, pickled vegetables and blue cheese ranch. A saucier alternative to fried chicken, try the Buffalo Wings if you are after a finger-lickin’ guaranteed good feed. Each piece is evenly coated in a sticky glaze, which locks in the succulent moisture of the tender meat. With a swift motion, you can suck each wing off the bone dry and are left with a mouthful of flavours, which combine on the palate perfectly. Close your eyes to truly enjoy the culinary experience.
“We use an American sauce called Frank’s Hot Sauce for the coating, then it’s got four other secret ingredients in it. It’s acidic and sweet at the same time, and the richness of the butter makes it super tasty,” Nick says.
Our favourite, and also a popular dish among Young & Frisky regulars, is the Chicken Burger. Served with crinkle cut fries coated in a frisky shake, the burger bun sandwiches a juicy southern fried fillet, Kansas BBQ sauce, Colby cheese, slaw and crispy onion. Good enough to rival that of any famed burger joint, this weighty burger will make your taste buds explode, so tighten your grip, brace yourself and make sure you get a bit of everything in one gigantic bite.
Young & Frisky brings a casual and fun dining vibe to the neighbourhood that’s proudly suburban orientated.
“We want to create a community around our venue and through the food make it very homely spot,” owner Nick explains.
“A place where all walks of life can come and converse over great food and drinks.
“It’s a venue for people to come and spend a few hours if they wish – whether it’s to watch a game of footy, have dinner with the family, drinks with mates or a date.”
There is something entertaining on every night at Young & Frisky including tranny bingo, karaoke, trivia, meat raffles, spin and win, as well as live music every Friday to Sunday, so if you haven’t yet ventured out to the Gungahlin pub now you have no excuse.
Take our word for it, after your first visit you’ll sure become a loyal regular and staunch fried chicken addict.
