Bondi's The Char Rotisserie opens in Sydney's inner west

Sydney's "chicken curtain" – the imaginary line between the chicken venues and style of chicken from the city's east and west – has been getting a little blurry of late.

El Jannah made a pre-emptive strike in late 2019 and opened closer to the city in Newtown, while this week The Char Rotisserie (Bondi and Bronte) made its move west.

Char's choice of Balmain – like Newtown – isn't exactly a move into either heartland, but its owner, Phil Abram, is confident Balmain locals have an appetite for good chicken, whatever form it comes in.

"There's more a split chicken tradition in the west, and while we do flat chickens as well, the cornerstone of what we do is free-range chicken on the rotisserie," Abram says.

Abrams has a secret weapon at Balmain – his partner in the venture is Chaiwat Kaewphaluek, a chef who was part of the team at one of the pioneer chicken shops in Rose Bay in the 1990s.

Abrams believes he has another ace up his sleeve: "The range of salads we offer at Char isn't usually done out west."

Open daily 10am-8pm.

264 Darling Street, Balmain, thecharrotisserie.com.au