The mouth-watering aroma of fried chicken welcomes you when you open the door at Bonchon.
According to the restaurant’s menu, Bonchon is Korean for “my hometown.” Bonchon’s hometown is Edmonton, and the restaurant’s philosophy is rooted in nurturing that community.
When my colleagues and I had lunch there, the staff was very friendly, welcoming us into the brand-new restaurant. The walls are covered in red and yellow graphics, the seating is mostly communal style at counters and tables. The whole space is light and airy, and it offers a fresh take on fast food.
The menu is extensive — Korean fried chicken available as wings or tenders and sandwiches or sliders. There’s a section entirely devoted to bulgogi options such as rice bowls, sandwiches and dumplings; as well as drinks, shakes and dirty sodas.
I ordered the Gochujang Sandwich with a side of fries. Bonchon uses sweet gochujang to generously coat a thick piece of fried chicken, served with American cheese and coleslaw on a toasted bun that manages to be both fluffy and slightly crispy at the same time. The coleslaw adds to the flavour of the sandwich without taking it over. But the star of the show is the crispy chicken and the sauce that’s of a near honey-like consistency. Combined with the toasted bun, the sauce held my sandwich together physically and taste-wise. The sandwich never fell apart.
The fries are of the thicker, battered variety, perfect for dipping in ketchup (or sweet gochujang sauce that has dripped from a sandwich). My single side of fries was a generous serving, packaged separately from the sandwich so that both stayed fresh.
Bonchon joins 124th Street’s ever-growing food scene as a solid go-to choice for Korean fried chicken, and one that I’m sure to return to on lunch breaks to come.
Bonchon
Westmount | 10418 124 St NW, Edmonton | bonchon.ca
