Welcome back to Five Things, Racket’s recurring rundown of new, new-to-us, or otherwise notable Twin Cities restaurants.
Today we’re taking you inside Richfield's K-ChiMac, the Korean fried chicken joint that opened about 10 months ago on Nicollet Avenue. Given the history of the address (more on that in a sec), we were expecting fast-casual, but this is a sit-down restaurant featuring the specialty—double-fried chicken smothered in house sauces—plus a whole menu of Korean comfort faves. Here are five things to know before you go.
1. New Life for an Old Leeann Chin
South Siders of a certain age might remember 6420 Nicollet Ave. as the home to a Leeann Chin, the Minnesota-launched pioneer of fast-casual Asian eating. The basic layout remains the same, though K-ChiMac incorporated some cosmetic updates to the squeaky-clean space, including poultry wall art and TVs softly playing K-pop hits. We had no trouble securing a large table last Friday for a late company lunch. The exterior has been painted jet black, and the adjoining tenant is no longer the pawn shop where I bought my first guitar amp as a teen—it's BrowHaus Cosmetic Tattoo.
2. Owner Hye Young Shin Knows What She's Doing
Back when I was in journalism school, decorated local food/drink reporter Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl spoke to one of my classes and informed us that the best Korean restaurant in town was mere blocks away: Stadium Village's Korea Restaurant. I'd been outta school for... well, let's just say some time... when Hye Young Shin took over from 2019 to 2023, but it's safe to say she approaches K-ChiMac with culinary bona fides. That was evident in the presentation of our piping-hot dishes; everything arrived looking fantastic, as you can see from the pics above and below. Service was exceptional.
3. Korean Fried Chicken Is Having a Moment
The Korean fried chicken craze hit the Twin Cities when Bonchon, the freaking delicious global chain, opened its first Minneapolis outpost in Uptown eight years ago. These days the Uptown Bonchon ain't even the only such joint on the block; bb.q Chicken, whose local franchisee shared her inspiring story with Racket, competes from .2 miles away. So, how's the chicken at K-ChiMac? Pretty great. Ours were expertly double-fried, delivering that crrrrrrrrrrrunch you want before hitting the ample meat, which packed plenty of juiciness beneath the breading.
The boneless thighs ($18) gave the bone-in flats and drums ($18 for eight) a run for their money—Pringles-like, we couldn't stop poppin' 'em. Sauce-wise, K-ChiMac offers several options. The thighs were glazed in a sweet, complex soy garlic dubbed K-barbeque; one batch of wings came dakgangjeong style, which too closely resembled sticky store-bought American BBQ sauce; while the other, pa-dak, was dressed in subtly tangy soy sauce and topped with a heaping pile of scallions.
4. But K-ChiMac's Menu Goes Beyond the Bird
Stir-fry, apps, bowls, hot pot—K-ChiMac is an honest-to-god full-service restaurant. And ya know something? Our tteokbokki ($16), a real-deal spicy dish where cylinders of rice cake swim amid gochujang, fish cakes, and kimchi, stole the damn show. The serviceable bibimbap ($19) hit the table sizzling at the volume of fajitas, a fried egg resting on top at yolky perfection. The name of the establishment is a riff on chimaek, a term for the Korean pairing of fried chicken and beer. We didn't partake at lunch (Mad Men we're not), but taps of affordably priced suds ($3-$5) and soju ($10) were at the ready.
5. K-ChiMac Joins a Suburban Global Cuisine Hub
The heart of Richfield looks a lot different than when I attended high school there... oh, let's just say really some time ago. And that's a wonderful thing. Gone is the ol' Old Country Buffet, replaced by a hot-pot buffet called Dragon Pot. The Rainbow Foods transformed into LomaBonita Market, a veritable wonderland of Mexican flavors, and taco spots, including the original Lito's Burritos, appear up and down Nicollet from the Crosstown to E. 66th Street. You've got Rong Market. You've got Tous les Jours Cafe. And, right across the street from K-ChiMac, you've got Kataki Sushi & Ramen. These days, "The Urban Hometown" is downright cosmopolitan when it comes to dining options. K-ChiMac is a welcome addition.
