I have been to Birdies a handful of times already. For those unfamiliar, this is Earls restaurant’s more casual, California themed restaurant. Well known and made popular through their tropical patio. On the menu, you will find similar flavour profiles to that of Earls. As well as dishes that can easily take you back to summer and the beach, well into the fast approaching colder seasons.
So when looking for a destination for our latest work function, we decided to skip the usual go to of Cactus Club, which is very West Coast; and steered towards Birdies for an East Coast vibe instead.
We started off with a round of drinks. I had the Paloma Rosa with Cuervo Tradicional plata, 400 Conejos mezcal, hibiscus, grapefruit, and soda. I went looking for something lighter and fruity, given the time of day.
As a group, we decided to order and share all of the appetizers between our group of four. We would eat our fill and leave stuffed.
The most popular were the Oh So Sticky Korean Ribs. Sweet, sour, savory gojuchang sauce, chili flakes, and crispy onions. Tender meat that was easy to pry from bone. It ended with a saucy back of throat tickle.
The Szechuan Prawn & Pork Dumplings were heavily topped with chilli crunch, black vinegar, roasted peanuts, and green onions. There was more filling and toppings than the shell, which I like the most. This left me looking for another starchy base. It all added depth and weight to the already dense dumpling. You were thirsty after one bite.
The Birdies Wings are your standard over crispy, heavily seasoned chicken wings. We went for the Salt + Pepper option over the Hot. Not the greatest, but it hit the spot for dry wings with coarse seasoning and a tangy side sauce.
The Unholy Guacamole was a fresh and thick mix with chargrilled corn, feta, and sriracha aioli. Served with thick corn tortilla chips with a tasty fry. A classic and no complaints on this take.
Although my favourite dish and dip was the Chorizo Queso Dip. A stone bowl of melted cheese served bubbling hot. Spicy chorizo, house made white cheddar sauce, pickled red onion, salsa roja, and tortilla chips. It was zesty and flavourful. Although towards the bottom of the bowl the oil pooled and as the dishes cooled it congealed. However, that did not deter me from scraping the bowl clean and getting all that crispy cheese on my chip.
For something more fresh we turned to the Crispy Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Pickled cucumber, ginger & scallion, spicy mayo, and baby gem lettuce. Another flavourful dish with plenty of fresh vegetable to keep it crisp and light.
Overall a delicious meal that everyone enjoy. There were no leftovers and we all left full.
Birdies Eats & Drinks
3850 Lougheed Hwy., Burnaby, BC V5C 6N4
(236) 427-8902
birdiesrestaurant.com
