Bonchon Chicken with Ed Zitron

"Bonchon Chicken with Ed Zitron" is Episode 264 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Bonchon Chicken with Ed Zitron" was released on August 13, 2020.

## Synopsis

Ed Zitron (EZPR) joins the 'boys to talk about Las Vegas eats and South Korean-funded chain Bonchon Chicken. Plus, another edition of Pie In This Guy.

## Nick's intro

"The Forgotten War": this is how American media refers to the Korean War, a conflict between North and South Korea fueled and funded by communist Chinese and capitalist American military might that took place between 1950 and 1953. It's an unfortunately accurate characterization of how the War is perceived Stateside, despite it resulting in the deaths of at least 1.75 million Koreans, a large portion of whom were civilians.

In fact, the Korean War might have been fully memory-holed, if not for one lingering after-effect, an American military presence in South Korea that continues to this day; ostensibly to protect the country from its neighbor to the north, the totalitarian state ruled by cherubic basketball enthusiast, Kim Jong-un.

And it's that presence in South Korea that led to the creation of a dish now beloved the world over, Korean-styled fried chicken.

During, and after, the War, American service members deployed in Korea introduced fried chicken, their national dish by way of Scotland and west Africa, to the local population who more commonly cooked chicken in soups. While high post-War food prices put the dish out of reach for many, by the 1970s, a booming economy cratered domestic cooking oil and chicken prices, leading to the explosion of a distinct Korean variant of the breaded bird, usually double-fried and sauced.

In 1977, Yu Seok-Ho, a Korean national who'd spent time in the U.S., founded Lim's Fried Chicken in Seoul, the first of what would be many competing standalone and chain restaurants serving the dish, often accompanied by pickled radish and beer. Not even the arrival of American sector kingpin, KFC, in 1984, could stem the tide of Korean fried chicken's prominence on the peninsula.

In 2002, restaurateur Jinduk Seh founded a Korean fried-chicken outlet in Busan which in short order expanded across South Korea, Asia, and ultimately North America with its first U.S. outlet opening in New Jersey in 2007.

Today, with over 300 locations worldwide, this deep-fried poultry eatery whose name translates to "my hometown" has seemingly come to everyone's hometown.

This week on *Doughboys*: Bonchon Chicken.

## Fork rating

	+ 12 Wings (1/2 Spicy, 1/2 Soy Garlic)
	+ 6 Drumsticks (1/2 Spicy, 1/2 Soy Garlic)
	+ 2 Sides (Pickled Radish, Coleslaw)
	+ 1 Plain House Fried Rice
* Kimchi
* Shrimp Shumai
* Tteokbokki
 Mike Mitchell
* Small Combo
	+ 6 Wings (Half & Half)
	+ 3 Drumsticks (2 Soy Garlic, 1 Spicy)
	+ Pickled Radish
* Bulgogi Bibimbap
* Chicken Katsu
* Seasoned Fries
 Ed Zitron
* Potstickers
* Tteokbokki
* Seasoned Fries
* Zucchini Fries

**Spoonman Bite of the Night** goes to the Soy Garlic Drumstick.

With these scores, Bonchon Chicken joins the Platinum Plate Club!

Mitch declares this the best chain restaurant he's visited for the podcast, and gives it a rare 6 fork rating.

## Pie In This Guy 🥧

In this segment, Nick brings a mystery pie and using a series of clues, Mitch and the guest guess what it is.

The winner gets an IOU for a pie and the loser goes home empty-stomached.

For this episode, Nick brings a chicken pot pie (possibly Marie Callender's).

## Quotes

**Emma**: I'm not editing any of this out.

## The Feedbag

What do you listen to while cooking or being productive?

## Photos

6 Wings and 3 DrumsticksSeasoned FriesBulgogi BibimbapChicken KatsuPickled RadishColeslawKimchi, Pickled Radish, ColeslawShrimp SumaiPlain Fried RiceTteokbokkiFamily Meal (Drumsticks and Wings)WingsDrumsticksWings