KyoChon (Flushing, NY)

Presentation is everything.

Hailing from South Korea, KyoChon's specialty is twice-fried chicken. They are fairly recent arrivals here in the US, yet they have an extensive presence back home. In a market where there is a lot of competition, KyoChon needs to bring something unique to the wing party to stand out.

At their Flushing, NY location, I found their restaurant to be spacious and very clean, brightly lit, with a minimalistic, yet tasteful white decor. Then music, however, tended to be a little loud. Not being able to choose between the classic Soy Garlic and the Hot & Sweet wings, I ended up ordering both. I was advised that the Hot & Sweet were, in fact, very hot, but I was not dissuaded from my intent.

After a plate of pickled radish came out, it was just a few minutes before two plates of wings arrived. The wings are just shy of medium-sized, but they make up for this in flavor.

Soy Garlic: A tasty classic.

The Soy Garlic wings were indeed nice and garlicky, but not overpoweringly so. The clear notes of soy in the sauce add a contrasting saltness. Perhaps there's a bit of a smokey or mustard undertone that I detected, rounding out a complex mixture of flavors. As they are twice-fried, these wings were very crispy on the outside. The light batter is perfect for holding onto the sauce (they don't drip messily; the sauce seems to have soaked into the batter), yet it doesn't overpower the wing or interfere with the taste, as said batter itself is not seasoned. Overall, these wings had a satisfying crunch, the chicken itself was moist, tasty, and fresh, and the overall flavor was very enjoyable.

Hot & Sweet: Not too sweet,
but satisfyingly hot.

Next up, the Hot & Sweet wings were a little more on the messy side; you'll be licking your fingers and enjoying every second of it. That said, I found them to also be crispy, much like the Soy Garlic. The flavor comes through as sweet at first with a bit of heat. As it settles in, you detect a slight bitter undertone as the pepper oils kick in, then the heat really shows up. First it hits the back of your throat, then works its way to your tongue before finally settling on the lips with a distinct tingle. These wings aren't for the faint of heart or the heat-averse, but they're not really too hot for the initiated, the chile-heads, and the heat freaks. I was pretty sure I could pick up a little bit of garlic in the flavor, as well. I would probably recommend these as the perfect wings to go with beer, which KyoChon sells by the pint or the pitcher.

I definitely recommend a visit to KyoChon. In addition to their wings, they have many other chicken specialty items to try.

KyoChon Chicken
156-52 Northern Blvd
Flushing, NY 11354
(718) 939-9292
kyochon.com