PerthNow food critic Simon Collins named the charcoal chicken at Pauly’s Chicken and Ribs in Noranda his top dish of 2024. The pick appeared in January 2025; Hawaiian later identified it as The West Australian’s 2024 Top Critic award top dish. It is a critic’s choice, not a public vote or a claim of an objectively established best dish.
Where the dish is and why it was singled out
Pauly’s Chicken and Ribs is at Noranda Shopping Centre in Perth. In his January 2025 article, Collins wrote that it had opened in February and built a dedicated following. The available account does not establish whether the restaurant is currently operating or provide current hours, menu details, or ordering information.
Collins traced the chicken’s family recipe to the birthplace of co-owner Pauly Bahbah’s father in Palestine. Hawaiian repeated that family-recipe background in its acknowledgement of the award.
How Collins said the chicken is prepared
Collins reported that the kitchen marinates whole free-range and halal Lilydale chickens for 24 hours, roasts them over jarrah coals, and finishes them in an oven to retain succulence. These are details reported in his article, not independently verified kitchen practices.
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He described two finishes:
- Toum: a garlic-and-herb-loaded finish.
- Peri-peri: a Portuguese-style sauce Collins said was made with 18 different herbs and spices.
Collins praised both styles for their spice, char, and flavour. His article does not present a controlled comparison between them, so the choice comes down to which flavour direction sounds more appealing: garlic and herbs, or the spiced peri-peri.
What the critic recommended alongside it
Collins suggested spicy rice and fresh Mediterranean salad as accompaniments. His January 2025 article reported a quarter chicken with two sides for $18.95 and a half chicken with sides for $24.95. Those are historical prices from the article, not current price guidance.
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The critic’s explanation of the recipe
Asked about the secret ingredient, Bahbah told Collins: “Just love what you’re doing”. The quotation and the preparation details above are from Collins’ reporting in PerthNow, published on 9 January 2025. Hawaiian’s 31 January 2025 acknowledgement also described the award and the family-recipe background.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the award means
The recognition is best understood as Collins’ personal top-dish selection for 2024, published in January 2025. Hawaiian described it as The West Australian’s 2024 Top Critic award top dish. It was a critic’s pick, not the result of a public poll or a documented panel tasting.
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