This is Ryde Market, a casual Korean barbecue-style venue focused on wood-fired smoked chicken, with additional fries, sausages and tonkatsu available.
Their menu centred on wood-fired chicken, with whole chickens roasted three times daily at 2 pm, 4 pm and 6 pm from Friday to Sunday. Chicken sets could be reserved online.
Wood-Fired Chicken Set ($45.00)
The set featured a whole wood-fired chicken with buttered potatoes, coleslaw, gochujang-molasses sauce, salt and pickled radish.
The chicken was particularly juicy and succulent, with a moderate smoky flavour that remained distinctly roasted rather than taking on a cured, ham-like character. The cavity was filled with purple sticky rice mixed with red dates, providing a soft sweetness while absorbing the rendered chicken juices. The gochujang-molasses added a sweet, moderately spicy heat, while the pickled radish provided crunchy freshness. As with fried chicken, the radish was a more immediately accessible contrast to the meat than the cabbage.
The potatoes had a deeply crunchy exterior, effectively approaching a deep-fried texture, while the interior remained fluffy and creamy. This provided a substantial textural contrast to the tender chicken.
The coleslaw combined red and white cabbage with a dressing made from blended corn, nashi pear, vinegar and mayonnaise. The cabbage retained its structure, with the pear and vinegar providing a fresher counterpoint to the richness of the chicken and potatoes.
Overall, the casual Korean barbecue-style dining was defined by wood-fired chicken with pronounced juiciness and restrained smoke, supported by substantial textural contrast from the potatoes and a fresher coleslaw component.
Ryde Market is located at 7 Chatham Rd, West Ryde NSW 2114.