Meghan C.
Yelp
I had been craving Asian food for a few days, but didn't want our typical, go to Asian food, like Chinese, etc.
As much as my husband & I are foodies, we had never actually had Korean Fried Chicken (referred from here on in this post as KFC, not to be confused with the fast food chain!)
We had often heard of how KFC takes fried chicken to another level (Look it up. Different process & flavors).
So, when my husband had an unexpected day off, we decided to find some place to get some KFC, knowing that there would be other offerings that would also satisfy my craving for that umami, sweet, & spicy profile that I was looking for.
When I stumbled across a place that said it offered Asian Soul Food, I perked up! It also made me happy that our adventure would take us to Lawrenceville, which offers a plethora of sights, sounds, smells, & snacks! It's a great foodie neighborhood and lends to walking, window shopping, & people watching, which I love to do! I digress.
What we discovered at Nanban Asian Soul Food was a cozy space with absolutely incredible food. Seating is limited, but we arrived at opening time & that helped.
The menu options vary from KFC (Including a wide range of dipping sauces!), Sandwiches (they call them Sandos), Ramen, Empanadas, & Bao Buns. (They are not specifically Korean or one particular cuisine. That's the beauty!)
We chose KFC nuggets with 2 dipping sauces (Ginger Soy & Coconut Sambal) and Gochujang Chicken & Biscuits.
The KFC was super juicy inside & crackly, crispy perfection on the outside. They are made from Thigh meat. (In my opinion it is the tastiest part of a Chicken!).
I'm a "saucy girl" and I need my meal to have a good sauce. The sauces were both extremely flavorful. I found the Coconut Sambal to be sweet, yet refreshing. It had a nice brightness to it, as opposed to the richer, earthy Ginger Soy. Both were delicious.
But, the absolute star of the show was the Gochujang Chicken and Biscuits. I am not exaggerating when I say that this dish ranks amongst the top I've ever had!
Their menu describes it as such: "Thigh & Drumstick coated in Gochujang glaze with biscuit, scallion, Tonkatsu Gravy, and Inferno Honey."
For the cost of an entry at a typical fast casual restaurant, we indulged in sheer gourmet cuisine.
The chicken had the light, crispy coating found on the nuggets, but had that extra flavor that bone-in meat provides. Cooked perfectly. The Gochujang delivered the beautiful balance of sweet and savory. It hit my palette with a great tangy flavor as well.
The biscuits felt like they came from a Southern scratch-made kitchen. Prepared, again, perfectly! Crumbly, yet not dry, balanced with soft & buttery. It offered the perfect texture.
The gravy was smooth and had deep pork flavor that cut the Gochujang perfectly. My only complaint? I wanted a gallon of it!
Mixing in the scallions and inferno honey added herbaciousness, heat, & a kiss of sweetness to finish off a perfect balance of flavors.
We can't wait to go back & continue to explore the menu, but, it will always be an order that includes the Gochujang Chicken & Biscuits!
Bonus? We loved the ambiance, including enjoying spicy food with some Rock! The soundtrack was a playlist you could likely find on WDVE! Nothing like some Collective Soul in your ears as you've got "soul food" inspired by Seoul on your taste buds.