Chi Mc

I've been here twice in the past 7 days and I must say that it's my favorite Korean fried chicken joint around. You can call it Bon Chon or you can call it Chi Mc - old school peeps still call it the original area Bon Chon - but I just call it damn good. Decor has changed slightly but the food, flavor and service has not and it's great all around.

No different than any other Korean fried chicken places, call at least 30min ahead to get your fried chicken started and a table to sit. I eat my fried chicken with white rice and kim chi and daikon. Estimate eating at least 8 wings - seriously. For a table of four people, it's best to get two large orders (17 pieces) and a small/medium order and get it mixed with soy garlic and spicy. You must try both b/c they're so good and if you don't finish, take it home!

Much better than service than before and they fixed the fact that the ambience was depressing and dark before. They actually answer the phone now and can have chicken ready in less than an hour. Overall, chicken had the Sam flavor as before and I think the wings are actually larger than bonchon.

The side dishes are still not up to par as compared to the new bonchons, no tonkatsu, delicious seasoned fries or other interesting options. Also, no small or extra large size wing options.

This review is really only a review of the fried chicken. Since shedding the Bonchon franchise label, the service has improved, the chicken has remained virtually the same, and the menu appears to have expanded.

I first stopped at this location, tucked away in a small strip mall on Little River Turnpike, a couple of years ago whilst it was operating under the Bonchon umbrella.  Bonchon, as I discovered in an overseas trip recently, is an Asian based franchise operation that touts its fried chicken as the best in the competing race of Korean fried chicken franchises.  I first pulled into this strip mall location in Annandale thinking, incorrectly of course, that I was stumbling upon a French bakery of some sort. My impression was quickly straightened out and, after a bit of a wait, I walked away with a large order of wings, flavored with soy garlic.  I was simply impressed with the flavor and texture:  crispy, crunchy, sweet and savory at the same time. I have ordered the spicy version of the wings (or a mixed order consisting of wings and drumsticks) at different times since that initial visit but do not really care for the level of spicing or the messiness which diminishes the crunchy skin and chicken.

The current Chi Mc restaurant is labeled as a "gangnam style" restaurant (likely meaning loud and hip hop music, Korean style, in the evenings - check out the Psy You Tube video titled " Gangnam Style").   The chicken emulates the Bonchon cooking technique and results in fried chicken that is crunchy crispy, with hints of garlic and soy sauce permeating the meat. The Chi Mc fried chicken flavors are a bit more muted, however, and a bit less salty ( low sodium soy sauce perhaps?). It is, however, still, very good fried chicken and is a welcome contrast to the heavy batter coated American style fried chicken. The restaurant appears to be more of a takeaway location:  as I stopped by to pick up a called in takeaway order 15 minutes after a noon opening, there was no one in the restaurant; however, there were 6 takeout orders on the bar (besides mine) awaiting a claimant.

Fried chicken is a guilty pleasure best appreciated in binges. No, Chi Mc's offerings do not blow away the  competition in the Korean chicken franchise race but the chicken is a dish worth repeating. Get  the order of wings (instead of the mixed order or just drumsticks):  there is more crunchy skin to enjoy.