You're about to get very excited whether you know it or not. Mike Hiller has a post on his blog, Escape Hatch, about the pending arrival of BonChon Chicken. The Dallas location will be the corner of Lovers Lane and Greenville Avenue, and if they produce the same product that they do across the Northeast, the local fried bird game is about to change for the better.
Korean fried chicken is actually a significant departure from what you're served at Babe's or Henderson's. Not only is it not breaded as heavily but it's fried twice, too. The first trip to the frier renders all the fat from beneath the skin, and the second crisps the skin up. The results are a thin, crispy and glass-like exterior, and tender, juicy meat that according to Korean fried chicken enthusiasts is "healthy."
You can get the chicken doused in a soy garlic or a hot sauce. Both of them are sweet, which makes the bowl of pickled daikon radish served on the side seem extra bright. The restaurants typically serve beer as well, so provided the owners of the Dallas location are willing to pay for the license, you'll have all the bases covered.
We'll be there when this location opens, ready to binge on as much of the chicken as possible. In the meantime check out this Times article that is full of information about the Korean fried chicken served domestically and abroad. It's a great read -- provided you had a sizable lunch today -- and it features BonChon too.
