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| Old Bay and Honey-Hot chicken at Bon Chon |
We love Bon Chon's fried chicken It's pricey by the piece -- like $1 per half wing or white-meat tender -- but it's exceptional chicken. Incredibly crisp without being greasy. Perfectly paired with the crunchy pickled radish that comes with every order.
Now, Bon Chon has doubled the flavor options. They started with soy garlic and hot. That original hot was really spicy. Our friend MrDrCardio loves spicy food, and he can't get enough. But it's so hot that Mrs. HowChow couldn't really enjoy that chicken. Now, there are two options in the middle -- a honey-hot and an Old Bay.
That's right. It's marriage made in Baltimore. Seoul's double-fried chicken with a crunchy shell around piping meat. The local Old Bay tricked up with lime and other favors. So different, but not the simple "sprinkle with red powder" that you can get with "Old Bay" fries or other dishes. So good that the Old Bay wings -- salty and zesty -- became Mrs. HowChow's favorite before we even finished our platter.
I think I liked the honey-hot even more. The chicken comes glazed and shiny. First on the tongue, you get honey -- more complex than just sugar. Real honey that warms up with the Korean hot spices. It's spicy, but nothing like the fiery Bon Chon original hot. With the four flavors, they have made the fried chicken an even-better treat. You could make a spectacular platter by asking for a mix of flavors, then cycling through soy to Old Bay to honey-hot to hot. Rinse with some pickled radish and repeat.
(Update: Bon Chon phased out the flavors on July 20. Keep an eye out. Maybe they'll bring them back. And it's still a fun place to eat.)
For more about Bon Chon's chicken, check out my 2012 post that quotes Henry Hong. For another option, try Tian Chinese Cuisine where you can get Korean fried chicken and the house-made noodes with black bean sauce.
10 comments:
Do they have any tasty vegetarian offerings?
I am so excited for the new flavors ! I just went to a BonChon in Cambridge, MA this week and it was interesting how different the menu was. More expansive and had Korean BBQ. I go for the strips any way!
I am so excited for the new flavors ! I just went to a BonChon in Cambridge, MA this week and it was interesting how different the menu was. More expansive and had Korean BBQ. I go for the strips any way!
@Andrea -- I think a vegetarian could do okay at Bon Chon accompanying some chicken-loving friends. We had a seaweed salad. They serve chapchae, which can be made vegetarian. I can't picture the menu in detail, but I think they had other options. But I'd probably try a different place if I wanted a vegetarian table. A restaurant like Shin Chon can offer more veg options like chapchae, savory pancakes, veg bi bim bap, and age tofu (hold the bonito flakes).
http://howchow.blogspot.com/2011/09/veg-week-vegetarian-bibimbop-at-shin.html
and they get their liquor license later this month, I believe...so if you were taking advantage of their BYOB policy, take advantage of it now!
andrea -
My husband has enjoyed the veggie bi bim bap at Bon Chon.
~kam
Sorry I'm in the minority, I was already disappointed when they bastardized their fries with Old Bay, then they toned down their spicy chicken to " meet local tastes"
Thanks Kam and HowChow. I'll definitely try the bi bim bap :)
I have been dying to try this place forever and even when they finally arrived in HoCo I just never had a chance to check it out. Went there Friday before last for lunch. First of all the people there are so friendly. The cook/chef came out to as me how my meal was. I was kind of surprised because I expected counter service with a few tables, but it's a full service restaurant and pretty nice inside. Only four tables, but they were doing pretty good carry out business from what I could tell. I sat at the bar and ordered the hot wings with kimchi coleslaw, ridiculously good, and the radish. The chicken is unlike anything I've ever had because it's so crispy and yet the outer skin is so thin then it's all moist inside. I loved it. Solid heat without making me cry and so crispy/juicy. I'll be back and I really hope they do well.
I tried the old bay wings at bon chon, fabulous. Just the right amount of old bay. The soy garlic wings were great too, agree with Mrs. HowChow, the hot wings are a little too hot!
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