The city of Page welcomes the Bird House restaurant to North Navajo Drive. Owner Eddie Chu has arranged a menu that states fried chicken and beer are the main staples but they’re not cooking up just any ordinary bird.

The menu is rooted in the traditional fried chicken recipes of Georgia that are never measured or planned but cooked with a certain confidence found at the helm of a deep Southern wood stove. Chu re-imagines those old recipes using ingredients only found in the South and combined without a written recipe. The flavors are based on his childhood palate of growing up in Georgia. “It’s soul food and there is always something comforting about it. We just put our own twists in there.” Chu says.

Chu teaches his staff of nine how to combine the ingredients for three kinds of fried chicken, sweet Honey Buttermilk, Spicy with a mean kick and his signature flavor Original Bird House. Jars of spices are seen from the window and each spice has a use for the menu. Customers can see the chicken batter being made from scratch right there daily.

The Bird House offers side dishes that are culinary works of art using Southern seasonings and Chu’s experience working with Asian culture cuisine. The Bird House reinvents the cole slaw, which is unlike any other in or near the Lake Powell area. Mustard seeds are prominent in this dish and combines beautifully with every flavor of chicken on the menu, however Spicy is the best recommend. Broccoli salad and the macaroni salad are made with a southern and Hawaiian fusion flavor that reminds you anything is possible when the ingredients have been specifically chosen to bring out the flavor of the main dish, namely the Original Bird House and the Honey Buttermilk chicken. The macaroni and cheese is a cheesy extension of classic American fried chicken meals but Chu puts a dash of bacon that off sets the Original Bird House chicken and is best served hot.

The Southern Georgia way of fried chicken has a quirky tradition of selling waffles with their chicken and Chu has brought that tradition to Page along with homemade cucumber pickles. Notable mention to the Bird House sauce and the in-house ranch dressing as both sauces have a homemade flavor that will rope you back in for more.

Chicken salads, sandwiches, watermelon dishes and drinks will be at the official Grand Opening and then on the summer menu. Beer is also served and will be expanded to local craft beers when peak tourist season occurs.

Who is Eddie Chu?

Edward Chu, 28 years old, was born in Dallas, Texas and moved to Georgia when he was 2 years old. Chu and his family lived there until he was 14 and then moved to Los Angeles to attend college at the Art Institute, where he gained a culinary degree. Chu traveled across the globe working as a chef or caterer.

A year ago, Chu was on a tour of the Antelope Canyon with friends and they got a craving for fried chicken. “We all love chicken but there was nowhere to eat.” he remembers. They discovered only Safeway had fried chicken and though it was good, Chu got an idea for a fried chicken restaurant. Chu also noticed the wealth of potential the small city of Page holds and how much tourists needed a nightlife. He approached Eugene Kang, Francis Suh and Scott Zimmerman as investors to partner with him to bring his vision to life. “We all love chicken and being from Georgia I felt it was something I could do well.” he remembers. “We noticed Page had a hole with no fried chicken and we thought we could fill it.” says Chu laughing.

They chose the location on North Navajo Drive, which has been the site of several restaurants that were in business only a year since Sonic left the building.

“We heard a lot of stories about this location being cursed. But it’s a good location. I gutted out the whole place and hopefully got rid of the bad juju.” says Chu. He and his partners invested $300 thousand into the building and they feel confident they will succeed. Chu feels having success should include outreach to the community he now resides in and hopes the business thrives to see that vision to fruition.

“I think Page is wonderful and… I like the peacefulness of it.” He adds to the idea of staying long term.

Chu hopes the Bird House will leave you with an impression and a new experience.

“Come on down and give us a try. We are creating a great atmosphere and great food.”  Grand Opening is February 24th, 2018.