When Bonchon Korean fried chicken restaurant is opening in North Quincy. (It is soon!)
QUINCY − South Shore fans of Korean cuisine, in particular its distinctive fried chicken, have cause to salivate, as Bonchon has announced its newest branch will open in North Quincy next to the Stop & Shop at 65 Newport Ave.
Bonchon will open to the public Wednesday, March 20, at 11 a.m.
Franchisee Jack Tran said staff will complete their training, then line cooks, servers and managers will sharpen their skills from March 14 to 17 before a dress rehearsal for family and friends March 18.
In a Facebook post, manager Hannah Tran said delivery will be available to customers through Uber Eats and Door Dash.
Jack Tran said he chose Quincy because of its diverse population.
Diners will share the large grocery store parking lot with shoppers, and two spots will be reserved for those picking up takeout orders.
Tran also owns Gong Cha bubble tea shops in Fields Corner and Lowell. Gong Cha is a Taiwanese franchise with global reach.
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The 19,000-square-foot space in North Quincy, once occupied by a Supercuts hair salon, can accommodate 14 to 16 diners, Tran said, with most of the space devoted to the kitchen.
Tran described the new restaurant as "fast casual" as opposed to a full-service restaurant. According to Restaurant Business, Bonchon first experimented with the fast casual model in 2021 to operate with a smaller footprint and less labor.
Tran spent two weeks training at Bonchon's global headquarters in Dallas.
"They don't mess around," Tran said of the program.
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Quincy's growing Korean food scene
Bonchon will be the second Korean fried chicken restaurant to open in the City of Presidents. In February 2022, bb.q Chicken opened on Billings Road, across the train tracks from Stop & Shop and the future Bonchon.
Two Korean-French bakeries have opened in North Quincy in the last eight months. In July, Tous Les Jours opened on Billings Road, and in December, Paris Baguette opened at The Abby apartment complex on Hancock Street.
At the other end of Quincy, H Mart, the Korean supermarket chain, opened on Falls Boulevard near the Braintree line in June 2022. A food court is expected to open inside the H Mart by the end of May, including another Tous Les Jour and bb.q Chicken, as well as Korean street food vendor OhK-Dog & Egg Toast.
Bonchon's origins in South Korea and an American success story
Bonchon, which means “my hometown” in Korean, opened in New York City in 2007. Its founder, Jinduk Seo, was born in South Korea, where “you’ll find a mom-and-pop fried chicken joint on every block,” according to the Bonchon website.
Korean cooks have been putting their own spin on fried chicken for years. At Bonchon, each piece is hand-battered, fried twice and then brushed with sauce, resulting in an extra-crispy bite. The chicken is fried “once to lock in all the succulent juices and again to achieve that signature, crave-worthy crunch,” the website boasts.
Its menu includes other Korean dishes such as bulgogi, or thin slices of marinated beef grilled on a barbecue or griddle, and kimchi soup.
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The new Quincy restaurant will be Bonchon’s fifth location in Massachusetts. Other restaurants are in Allston, Waltham, Lowell, Salem and Cambridge.
There are more than 200 Bonchon locations in the United States and internationally, including in Cambodia, France, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, according to the restaurant’s website. None are listed in South Korea.
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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Bonchon Korean fried chicken to open this month in North Quincy
