Bonchon Chicken let us all down, sure. We were all hyped up until it opened. Then we tried it. Then we told each other it was meh. Now Bonchon, the Korean fried chicken chain, is reorganizing itself to up its quality levels.
Meanwhile, our cravings haven’t been satisfied. We’re still hangry as heck for Korean fried chicken. It’s been a trendy food in NYC for awhile, but Dallas is just starting to get a taste for it.
The solution? These three spots in Carrollton and Dallas, where the chicken is served crispy, crunchy, tender, bready, and good. It’s all you’ve ever wanted from Bonchon. And more. Check out these relatively unknown places to get Korean fried chicken while you’re waiting for Bonchon to get their brains together.
1. Gang Jung Chicken Cafe in Carrollton
This not-easy-to-spot restaurant is on the Spa Castle side of Old Denton Road. Everything inside is yellow. Even the wallpaper. Three tall, young Korean men take your order at Gang Jung Chicken Cafe, patiently explain the four-step process, and guide you through the confusing menu. First, pick a a size (small, medium, or large). The medium has about 18 pieces of chicken in it. Next, pick between chicken breast pieces, wings, or a whole chicken. Step three: Choose a sauce. (The green onion chicken, which I got, was amazing. It came with a medium-spicy wasabi sauce with fresh green onions lying on top of the chicken.) Lastly, order a side salad.
Two days later, my car still smells like scallions. The chicken itself is a little dry, but the breading goes great with poured-on sauce. It’s even good when it’s cold. A small is $8.99, a medium is #13.99, and a large is 17.99. A little pricey, sure, but I’ll definitely be back again.
2. Wing Town inside Super H Mart
Recently, Wing Town has taken over Toreore’s old spot inside the Super H Mart’s food court. This means no more of Toreore’s signature “chicken and joy,” and no more red-bean filled fish cakes. I am still mourning the loss of the bungeoppang.
But good news: There’s still Korean fried chicken there. Wing Town has teeny tiny wings, but the lemon pepper one is so zesty and peppery, I could easily eat 15 of these. These bite-size snacks are fried on the spot, and they’re delivered piping out. Hot enough to burn the tips off your fingers. 10 wings are priced at $6.99. You can also order teriyaki, garlic parmesan, honey mustard, and honey BBQ flavors. The original hot flavor—beware—makes your mouth feel like it’s a furnace.
2625 Old Denton Rd., Carrollton. (972) 323-9700.
3. King Spa on Royal Lane
Much of the menu at King Spa is pretty average, except for two things: the maekbanseok gyeran eggs (baked in the Fire Sudatorium room) and the fried chicken. The breading on this chicken is thin, but extra crunchy. There’s definitely a bit of air between the skin and the meat, but if you’re okay with that (and a couple of hairs on the skin), you’ll like these wings. It comes with a side of red chile sauce, diced radishes, and a side salad to clean your greasy palate. It’s $11.99 for a plate.
2154 Royal Lane, Dallas. (214) 420-9070.
