Koreans are especially fond of street food. This Asian country’s culinary offering is finally starting to expand with the first restaurant in Quebec City specializing in authentic fried chicken.
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“Chicken in Korea is like poutine in Quebec, which is very popular,” Sukmin Jang, co-owner of Korean snacks Chicken & Pop with wife, chef Yuri Kim, says.
They warmly welcome me to their restaurant in Beauport on Monday, their only day off, to share their enthusiasm.
Established in Quebec after more than five years of living in France, they wanted to get to know Korean culture, which is very popular among young people.
“It’s something we’ve wanted to do for a long time. We loved our fried chicken and we couldn’t find it in Quebec,” says Sukhmin, who has been in charge of the service since it opened in October.
After searching for premises everywhere, the couple chose an old tunnel in the Corville sector. This local, not too big, was perfect as they wanted to start their business slowly.
Word of mouth has done its work and people who have found a business come out surprised because they still don’t have a sign off the street.
The secret is in the sauce
Korean fried chicken stands out for its double frying, which is extra crispy. The chicken & pop breading is light and not overly salty. Marinated chicken is cooked perfectly to be juicy and tender. It is creamy and not greasy.
You can get plain fried chicken — boneless — with sauce on the side, or order it already coated. If you’re a sauce type, like me, opt for the second option because the flavors wrap the chicken beautifully.
To avoid unpleasant surprises if you don’t like the sauce, Sukhmin recommends the opposite for first-timers.
Besides, the secret is in the sauces. I loved the spicy sweet and sour sauce yangnyeom with gochujang. Chef Yuri is careful to adapt the flavors to the Quebec palate and offers other mild options, but just as delicious: soy-garlic, cream-onion and honey-maple.
Ready to order
The friendly owners explain to me that in Korea, chicken is traditionally topped with Korean marinated Korean radish, which brings a lot of freshness and balances out the roast. Here, they decided to serve it with fries instead.
The restaurant also serves rice bowls called pop. Don’t miss the classic beef bulgogi marinated in Korean BBQ sauce.
In the fridge, there are drinks imported from South Korea and homemade kimchi.
Finally, know that the chicken is roasted to meet the chef’s standards, which takes about twenty minutes. You can eat in or take out.
Tuesday to Thursday 11:30am to 7pm and Friday to Sunday 11:30am to 8pm.
1045 LaRue Avenue
On Instagram: @chicken_et_bap
The other two are Korean addresses
Long live the Cocos!
Kokos, decadent Korean pokos, continue to gain new followers. The Chungchun chain recently opened a third branch in Beauport on rue Clémenceau. It is included in the Plaza Laval restaurants on Sainte-Foy and rue Saint-Jean. Adding to Cocos’ charm is the customizable side: chicken or beef sausage, mozzarella or a vegetarian option. Before frying, the Asian batter that coats it can be rolled into a filling – like ramen. Everything is offered with a large selection of sauces. A lovely little sin! chungchunqc.com
Photo taken from Sungsun’s Facebook page
Beyond controversy
Pop Song Restaurant, which was heavily inked for serving in English when it opened, is worth checking out for the quality of the food. Find: Traditional bibimbap, fried chicken in a sweet and spicy sauce, or pork belly with gochujang. The downside is that service can be slow. Don’t be on a rush or takeout order.
1282 Maguire Ave.
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