Korean fried chicken has been trending in the Boston area for years: Check out the smattering of Bonchon franchises, including one in Harvard Square’s Crimson Galeria building. Korean “chikin” (or fried chicken) is different from Southern or Nashville fried: Even though it’s fried twice, it’s generally less greasy. For classic Southern-fried style, my go-to is Coast Soul Cafe, but for “dak” — Korean for “chicken” — done Seoul-style, the new K-Bok in Union Square makes a strong case for expanding my repertoire. The menu’s not big or complex: essentially fried chicken sandos and fried chicken wings with two kinds of sauce: soy garlic bliss or spicy yangnyeom, a gochujang-based sauce. But what K-Bok does under a narrow scope is something worth clucking about.
The sandos are made on eggy Iggy’s brioche buns with crisp pickles and a tangy slaw. The chicken’s nicely crispy on the outside and juicy tender on the inside — and for my money, the sweet-n-spicy yangnyeom sauce is the way to go. You can also get the sando vegetarian, with fried oyster mushrooms instead of fowl, and if you want to skip the fried, you can get a grilled chicken-thigh version, too. That’s one thing Asian cuisines seem to have zeroed in on that American cuisines don’t fully embrace: the gamey flavorfulness of the thigh’s dark meat.
The sandwich plates come with ultra-skinny fries that have a McDonald’s-level addictiveness, but eat them while they’re hot. K-Bok (a witty play on K-Pop and a chicken cluck) is quite generous in its proportions.
Wings come with the same sauce options, but on the bone, and there’s also a guiltless option — the naked wing, spice-rubbed and fried sans the batter. You can get your wings boneless (tenders) as well, and there’s an oyster mushroom variation, should you want to go meatless.
Leaning in on its Korean street food mission, you can also get one of my favorite comfort dishes from the Seoul side of the Pacific, tteok-bokki, or traditional Korean rice cakes in a rich gochujang sauce with savoy fish cakes, onions, peppers, cabbage, and scallions. K-Bok does it well. Other side options on the menu include cabbage and leek mandu (crispy veggie dumplings) and house-made kimchi from Reliable Market, a few buildings away in Union Square.
It’s not a coincidence. The folks who have run the Reliable Korean and Japanese market for over 45 years — long before H-Mart ever arrived here — are the force behind K Bok. They reimagined the old La Cantina Mexican space as a fast casual sandwich bar during the day and a spot for festive imbibing and gathering at night. A spare order counter with a mini robot server, ever circling, stretches across half the sprawling room. On the other side, a masculine oaken bar with a liquor shelf holding large selections of sake and soju doubles as cafe seating by day. There’s also a DJ booth and a small band area; the owners plan live music and trivia in the future. Karaoke would also be a win. But come to K-Bok for the tteok-bokki and glorious fried chicken.
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)3 nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.
