Koreans especially love street food. The culinary offer of this Asian country is finally expanding in Quebec City with a first restaurant specializing in authentic fried chicken.
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“Chicken in Korea is like Putin in Quebec, it’s really popular,” pictured Sukmin Jang, co-owner of Korean snack bar Chicken & Bap with his wife, chef Yuri Kim.
They warmly welcome me to their restaurant in Beauport on a Monday, their only day off, to share their passion.
After living in France and settling in Quebec for more than five years, they wanted to spread Korean culture, which is very popular with young people.
“We’ve wanted to do this for a long time. We loved our fried chicken and couldn’t find much in Quebec,” says Sukmin, who has been in charge of service since it opened in October.
After looking everywhere for premises, the couple settled on an old subway in the Courville sector. This place, not too big, was perfect as they wanted to start their business slowly.
Word of mouth has done its job and those who manage to locate the store as it doesn’t yet have a sign visible from the street are amazed.
The secret is in the sauce
Korean fried chicken is characterized by its double frying, which makes it extra crispy. The chicken & bap breading is light and not too salty. Marinated chicken is prepared just right to remain juicy and tender. It’s juicy and not greasy.
You can have the plain roast chicken – also available boneless – with the sauce as a side or order it already breaded. If you’re the sauce type like me, go for the second option as the flavors envelop the chicken beautifully.
For first-time visitors, Sukmin recommends the opposite to avoid unpleasant surprises if you don’t like the sauce.
Besides, the secret is in the sauces. I loved the yangnyeom, a spicy sweet and sour sauce with gochujang. Chef Yuri has made sure to tailor the flavors to suit Quebec palates, offering other milder options but just as delicious: soy garlic, creamed onions, and honey maple.
Cooked to order
The friendly owners explain to me that in Korea, chicken is traditionally served with spicy marinated Korean radish, which brings a lot of freshness and balances the roasting. Here they have chosen to serve it with fries instead.
The restaurant also offers bowls of rice called bap. Don’t miss the classic beef bulgogi marinated in Korean BBQ sauce.
Drinks imported from South Korea and homemade kimchi are in the fridge.
Finally, you know the chicken is fried to order to meet the chef’s quality standards, which takes about twenty minutes. You can eat it or take it away.
Tuesday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday to Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m
1045 Larue Ave
On Instagram: @chicken_et_bap
Two more Korean addresses
Long live the Kogo!
The kogos, decadent Korean pogos, continue to gain new followers. The Chungchun chain recently opened a third store in the region in Beauport on Rue Clémenceau. It will be added to the restaurants of Plaza Laval in Sainte-Foy and Rue Saint-Jean. What makes Kogos so charming is the customizable side: choice of chicken or beef sausage, mozzarella or vegan option. The Asian dough that encases it can be rolled in a filling — like ramen — before frying. Everything is offered with a wide range of sauces. A sweet little sin! chungchunqc.com
Photo from Chungchun’s Facebook page
Beyond controversy
The Bab Sang restaurant, which caused a stir when it opened for its English service, is worth a look for the quality of the food. To discover: the traditional bibimbap, the fried chicken in sweet and spicy sauce or the pork belly with gochujang. The downside is that the service can be slow. Don’t be in a hurry or order takeout.
1282 Maguire Ave.