BonChon

“What the fuck is Korean Fried chicken” were the words I uttered when I first heard about the dish. When I think of Koreans I think of Kimchi and really bad porno movies, not fried chicken. When I think of fried chicken, I think of the American south and people who marry their cousins. My first experience with Korean fried chicken was at Talde. The problem is Dale Talde is Philippino and not Korean.  That was like buying a slice at an Indian restaurant. The idea is there but the authenticity isn’t.

After working 7 days straight, I wanted something different, yet small for lunch. I convinced a fellow co-worker to join me for some Korean fried chicken at a spot called BonChon in midtown. I was going to hit up Mad For Chicken at first but the time was an issue and we needed to be in and out.

BonChon is located on 5th avenue between 34th and 35th street.  It was 12pm and lucky for my co-worker and I the place was dead. We picked our own seats amongst the dark wood tables, one which was a large communal table in the middle. I steer clear of communal tables because I really am not interested in having to hear about how you’re having a hard time finding decent  fitting underwear. A fully stocked bar took up ¼ of the dinning room and a quick drop off of the menus, a quick skim through and this is what we ordered:

6 piece wings and 2 drum sticks ($10.99) Individually placed on a large white plate the chicken glistened with Bon Chon’s soy, garlic, hot sauce. I quickly dove in for a drum sticks. A crispy, crunchy drum stick that tasted sweet but ended spicy. Not the heat I was looking for but it did the trick of making my nose run a little. The wings, spot on. In the same glazed sauce the wings were meaty, crispy, saucy.  The Korean fried chicken I had at Talde was good, but this was better and it didn’t cost $23 

  
Kimchi cole slaw ($2) Luckily Kim Jung Il is dead, because if he was alive he would probably send whoever made this coleslaw to the firing range. I barely tasted any Kimchi and the coleslaw tasted like it was off the sale rack at an Associate supermarket somewhere in the hood. 

 

So maybe Korean aren’t the best at making good porno movies, but they fry up on hell of a chicken. Although their rendition of fried chicken is basically a Buffalo wing, I would definitely put BonChon on my map of places to eat.  BonChon might not be the best idea for lunch but definitely after an alcohol infused night or a late night bootycall session.

Bon Chon Korean Fried Chicken

325 5th Avenue NY, NY (many locations)

www.BonChon.com