I’ve always believed that gargantuan buckets of fried chicken might be a little excessive. But if you hand me a bucket brimming with Bonchon’s twice–fried Korean fried chicken wings, it probably wouldn’t be enough. Nestled on a side street in Chinatown, Bonchon, a franchised Korean fried chicken shop with locations all over the place, at first seems out of place. Its sleek and modern appearance stands out from half lit neon OPEN signs and pealing plaster walls. It feels like a cross between a discotheque and a sports bar, with bumping music, a backlit top shelf bar and an absurd amount of massive flat screen TVs, and by absurd I mean almost ten. The bar is at the center, and on a Thursday at 8:30 pm the restaurant was buzzing with a young after work crowd, fingers sticky with precious wing sauce and mouths stinging from its spicy punch.
The Korean fried chicken—twice fried to ensure the crispiest skin—is the main attraction but isn’t the only star. We kicked off our meal with the strawberry soju ($5), a light pink drink made from freshly blended strawberries and the traditional Korean spirit. It also kind of tasted like bubblegum, and while it’s definitely got a sweet flavor that can only be tolerated for so long, it makes for a solid break from the spicier dishes of the meal.
The mini bulgogi sliders ($10.95) are the burgers that put all of those horrible dry sliders you’ve ever had to shame. The bulgogi is sliced and formed into patties to order. Topped with a pickle, a spoonful of slaw that’s got an amazing sweet heat and sitting on a nicely toasted bun, these are a strong way to get the meal started and will force you to exercise some self control as they have the capacity to steal coveted stomach space.
And now we have to talk about the chicken. Go for the wings (10 pcs, $11.95) and order half sweet and half hot, and you’ll receive some sweet pieces coated in a soy garlic sauce and some slathered in a red chili pepper glaze. The wings are nothing short of perfect—crisp, hefty with meat, just the right amount of sauce, tender—and eating in an alternating pattern of sweet hot sweet and repeat ensures your mouth will have a break from the fiery punch the hot ones deliver.
Get the kimchi coleslaw ($2.95) to aid in cooling you down. Its fermented flavor is milder in this slaw form, so even if you’re not usually a kimchi fan definitely give this one a go. It’s refreshing and clean and crunchy.
The bibimbap (bulgogi, $13.95) is a piping hot bowl of what should become your new go–to comfort food. Rice piled plentifully with shaved bulgogi slices, shitakes, zucchini, carrots, sesame seeds and a plump runny egg totally puts Tampopo’s to shame.
The friendly waitstaff will eagerly encourage you to try the salmon avocado ball ($9.95). Avocado, crabmeat, tobiko and tempura crumbs are mixed with mayo, formed into a ball, topped with strips of salmon and doused in spicy mayo and umagi sauce. I was skeptical. It’s not offensive, but not something I’ll go for again, just a little too mushy with too much going on.
If you want to finish your meal on a sweeter note, opt for the exotic bomba. A trio of sorbets coated in a shell of white chocolate, it won’t change your life, but if you have to satisfy your sweet tooth it’s the way to go.
Bonchon is fun and the chicken (and more) is stellar. They’re looking to open two more locations in Philly, and we can only hope one finds its way to University City.
