If you’re like me and eating on a budget, dining at one of Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s restaurants is probably not in the cards. However, with LudoBird located on Universal CityWalk (and also in Staples Center), his famous fried chicken can be enjoyed for less than $10.

Lefebvre’s Provencal chicken is brined overnight, making the meat tender and locking in the moisture. The chicken is then cooked to order, dredged in a buttermilk flour mixture and fried, with salt and herbes de Provence being added at the end. You’ll have to wait a little longer for your order to be made, but it’s worth it to have food that hasn’t been sitting under a heat lamp.

Having already eaten lunch, I ordered the popcorn chicken bites as a snack. A half-pound of popcorn chicken runs $7.49 and includes your choice of one of six sauces. I chose Béarnaise sauce, one of the more unique offerings.

The chicken did not have a thick coating of batter, thus preventing it from being a grease bomb. The bites were still tender, even though they were made of breast meat. I wish they had used dark meat instead, but the white meat is healthier (though we’re talking about fried chicken so it seems pretty silly to even mention the word “healthy”).

There’s a chicken sandwich and chicken strips on the menu, along with sides like lavender honey biscuits and fries. Oh, and if you use your American Express card, you’ll even get 10% off. If there’s anything I like as much as fried chicken, it’s saving money. At LudoBird, I can have both. It’s like a dream come true.

Location – 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City 91608. Additional location in Staples Center.
Website – http://www.ludolefebvre.com/restaurants/ludobird/
Kid-Friendly – Yes
Kid’s Menu – No
Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly – Do french fries count?
Gluten-Free Options – Do french fries, coleslaw and fingerling potatoes count?