Emmett T.
Yelp
Kinchana has put down roots in the Rolando neighborhood after operating a food truck in the East Village part of downtown. They took over a space that used to house a Caribbean eatery as well as the next door suite which has been turned into a loft. It's essentially a gaming lounge where you can relax and play old-school video games on vintage televisions. The main dining area could seat about two dozen customers.
The menu featured Cali-Asian-Mexican burgers of which there were eight choices. Three vegan hoagies were also available that used jackfruit as "pulled pork." Happy hour chicken wings, french fries, and a mac salad were the rest of the main offerings. I picked the Kimgogi Burger that was dressed with kimchi, Korean BBQ glaze, kojuchang, furikake, pickled lotus root, radish slaw, and avo citrus sauce. The flavors were neither too spicy nor overwhelming which was my worry.
I also selected the Curry Fries that were the crinkle cut variety topped with house Japanese curry, sesame slaw, pickled radish, and togarashi. I liked this item even more than the burger because the mild curry over the fries provided a warm comfort food feeling when I started consuming it. The slaw and radish added some acid that cut through the carbs from the potatoes.
The creativity of these fusion burgers was evident. I would consider returning to try a different selection as the prices were reasonable for the quality and uniqueness. The worker (owner?) who took my order was pleasant and very welcoming. I enjoyed my meal from Kinchana enough to give it a four star rating.