Steph C.
Yelp
We stayed at a hotel a full 8 miles away from this Bonchon, but lucky for us, we were somehow within its delivery radius. Even luckier, the chicken was still hot and crispy when it arrived, and we got to enjoy a Korean fried chicken dinner on the beach in La Jolla.
I ordered a K-Meal To-Go for 4-6, which came with 12 wings, six drumsticks, and two sides I supplemented this with an extra order of drums and a few more sides, as well as Korean donuts for dessert. This was just enough food for four adults and a few kids who were also eating some Easy Mac.
Bonchon has been around for ages, long enough that locations have opened, thrived, and then closed in New York and Los Angeles. It's one of the original Korean fried chicken chains, and I was pleased to see that the food was still delicious. Both wings and drumsticks were tender and juicy, and I enjoyed all three flavors we ordered--the classic crunch, the soy garlic, and the Korean BBQ. The classic crunch was basically Southern style, with a nice shatter of batter. A couple of dipping sauces--ranch and spicy mayo--went well with the sauce-free chicken. The soy garlic was great, the OG sweet and salty KFC flavor, while the KBBQ was pleasantly sticky and spicy.
Both the K-meal and the drums came with sides, so we got a spread of fries, coleslaw, and pickled radish. All solid, but the pickled radish was the most essential. We also added some addictive Korean street corn with Kewpie mayo, mozzarella, Korean red chili flakes, and scallions, plus an order of mediocre steamed edamame.
The Korean donuts were an impulse purchase, and I was honestly surprised by how good they were--fresh, light, chewy twists of fried dough, fragrant with cinnamon and sugar. They came with a sweet cream dipping sauce that looked unappetizing but tasted fantastic. The kids went crazy for these donuts, and I was glad I had the foresight to get two orders.
This was an easy, tasty way to feed a large party and satisfy both adults and children. It's too bad that Bonchon left Los Angeles. I'd totally order again if I had the opportunity.