Among my long list of untapped restaurants and food items, Korean Fried Chicken kept moving closer and closer to the top. I had heard of some spots in LA, but hadn’t gotten the courage to bypass my Downtown favorites in order to get there. When I was invited to check out Bonchon Costa Mesa, the newest Korean Fried Chicken franchise location, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see what it was all about. I’m so glad to see the continuous growth of the Orange County food scene, but I didn’t know what to expect from this place, since the region is already bustling with endless Asian cuisine options. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and vast offerings of this fast casual spot just off of the always crowded Harbor Blvd. The restaurant is white, crisp, clean and well lit. There are a variety of seating options including tabletops, barstools, and seats at the bar – which in expected OC fashion is serving a rotating menu of local craft brews in addition to imported beers from Korea and Japan. As for the offerings, the menu is quite large, larger than one would expect from a specialized Korean-style friend chicken spot. In addition to the crispy and juicy wings, Bonchon is serving up an array of approachable starters, sides and main dishes, including delicious bulgogi tacos. They even have bibimbap and japchae on the menu to satisfy all your Korean food cravings. This spot is a great addition to the neighborhood, and truly has something for everyone. Bonchon is so much more than a Korean fried chicken spot and will have no problem pulling in traffic from the 405, to PCH, and beyond!
The wings come with two sauce options, and are served with cubed daikon radish – the ultimate crisp accoutrement. Did I mention these fries yet? These fries were killer. They were perfectly seasoned and crispy.
Japchae: Glass noodles, red peppers, carrots, spinach, mushrooms and thinly sliced marinated beef flavored with Bonchon Soy Garlic sauce & stir-fried with sesame oil.
Korean tacos: Three warm flour tortillas filled with your choice of meat on a bed of crisp lettuce, seasoned with buttermilk ranch dressing and spicy mayo.
For more information, visit bonchon.com/korean-fried-chicken-costa-mesa-ca.