Frango Charcoal Chicken, Bella Vista
Join the cult following the Hill’s famous Portuguese chicken.
Frango first opened its doors in 1992 in Petersham and now hosts 3 other locations, Bella Vista, Penrith and Smithfield. Owned by the Fernandes family, their passion for good tasty food continues throughout their stores bringing many Sydney siders together to try their famous Chicken burger which was featured as one of the top 10 best burgers in Sydney.
Food
This place was finger licking good with their Portuguese charcoal chicken and I had a hard time deciding what to order as I wanted to try everything. Their chicken was also featured in the Sydney Morning Herald’s good food guide so I knew it was going to be good.
I decided on the chicken and chips combo where you had the option to get rice or chips and I chose the latter. The combo also came with a drink and I got a salad on the side which was difficult to choose as there were at least 10 options to choose from.
As it was Sunday lunchtime, they had no table service which was fine. I ordered my food and took a seat and before I got comfortable they called my number out. So prompt! I was asked if I wanted their signature mayo and chilli sauce with chicken salt and I couldn’t resist!
I think I inhaled my food. It was great and I can see why they are comparable to El Jannah’s. The chicken was flavoursome and charred just right, not too dry. The chips were great with the chilli mayo combo and the tabouli salad was OK.
By the time I had finished, the place was buzzing with diners. Some chose to sit and eat with their family and friends while others chose the takeaway option.
Although Frangos is known for their chicken, they also offer beef, lamb and pork options as well as burgers.
Just above their salads, they had some dessert options and of course, I had to try a few. I chose the crème caramel and the chocolate mousse. The mousse was my favourite! It was a little too set so I waited a few minutes before digging in.
Pros and Cons
There are many combo deals you can choose from but it got quite overwhelming with all the different options and a hungry queue behind us. The server tried to help and made many suggestions but that confused me even more. If you can make calculations on the spot you’ll find a deal that works for you.
It was very busy during the dinner rush, even on a weekday, and there was always a line of people. While there are many seats, people still had to wait for a table inside. It also got very noisy so it was difficult to have a clear conversation.
Overall Experience
The staff were friendly and the place was divided into an outdoor area seating around 30+, then the indoor area is split up into the general take away, relaxed seating area for about 20 guests and then the dining area where they offer table service to around another 30+ guests. I had a great time at Frango and as I just had the chicken, I definitely want to go back for the burger!
Reference Links
Sydney’s top 10 chicken dishes 2016
https://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/best-of/sydneys-top-10-chicken-dishes-2016-20160523-gp1nsm
The charcoal chicken with a cult following
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/small-business-secrets/article/2017/11/17/charcoal-chicken-cult-following
Address: 5/29-31 Lexington Dr, Bella Vista 2153
Phone: (02) 9672 6474
Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat | 10:30am-9pm
Sun | 11am-7:30pm
Website: http://frangos.com.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Original-Frango-Bella-Vista-32341994933/