Korean Elotes? Sure, Why Not — At Chicken Moto, South Korea Meets Texas Flavor

Richardson boasts a decent list of restaurants in virtually all types of Asian cuisine, but its latest addition takes the taste of South Korea and pairs it with our own Lone Star State: Chicken Moto, a new eatery from the team behind Bbbop Seoul Kitchen.

Luckily, we’re not talking cream gravy poured over kimchi, but you will get a curious mix of Korean pepper-spiced mayonnaise topped with cotija cheese on the elotes.

Sandy and Greg Bussey, Steve Shin and Sam Osee opened Chicken Moto on Feb. 22, creating a restaurant based on their original restaurant’s No. 1 seller: Korean fried chicken.

This style of chicken, unlike its Southern-fried counterpart, is somewhat light. The skin is a brittle crispiness around juicy meat. The argument continues on whether or not the skin is fried chicken's best part, but it’s more likely to come out the winner in this version, which is probably why you can get a serving of fried chicken skins for an appetizer.

The chicken comes with your choice of flavoring: soy-ginger, sweet and spicy chili or naked, ranging in serving size from a quarter to full bird. The visit on opening night had the table divided on the best flavor, with the soy-ginger sweet and addictive, and the sweet and spicy being just what you would expect. The simplicity of the naked version would be fine if you didn’t try the other flavors first.

The chicken comes displayed on a slice of Texas toast (which is welcome when soaked with the soy-ginger sauce) and one side. There is rice, but most of the sides are other Texas mainstays: coleslaw and potato salad, to name a couple.

The best thing on the table, at least on the first night Chicken Moto was open, was the bowl of charro beans. Go figure. You find one of the best cup of beans you’ve ever had at a Korean place in northern Dallas County.

Since it was opening night, the staff was still working out some kinks, but the food turned out well. The garage-turned-restaurant still felt shiny and new, with a light fixture mimicking modern art, a halfway-opened garage door facing Central Expressway and bicycles hanging from the wall.

The next visit will have to include “the sandwich,” fried and shredded chicken breast, cole slaw and “special sauce” (surely some Korean pepper) on Texas toast. And there’s still a twinge of regret over not trying the fries dusted with curry-ranch powder and a side of kimchi queso. That Korean-Texas fusion is maybe just odd enough that it just might work.

Chicken Moto, 2069 N. Central Expressway, Richardson.