Bonchon's Korean Fried Chicken Opens For Day On Moody Street

WALTHAM, MA — After more than two years of planning, fits and starts, Bonchon, a Korean and Asian fusion restaurant specializing in fried chicken, opened on Moody Street Wednesday and folks finally got to go in and try it out. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. the doors to the restaurant were opened for a soft test launch.

It's been so long in coming that when the sign went up announcing the soft launch on April 1, some worried it was an April Fools joke. But it wasn't. For four hours Wednesday, those fortunate enough to get the message could stop by and try out the food. And for those who missed the window, well, the restaurant plans to open sometime... "soon."

Roni Eng was one of those who made the trip. She said she'd never tried Bonchon before, but had a good experience, despite an allergy to soy.

"I'm limited on my options cause of the soy. But definitely would go back," she said.

Representives told visitors they weren't exactly sure when they'd open for real.

The international chain restaurant first announced in the fall of 2016 it planned to open "soon" in the space formerly occupied by the J&N Joke Shop on the corner of Moody and Spruce streets. But several visits to City Hall later and nothing.

Then in August it popped back up on the city agenda to get a new common victual license and change managers. In January, the restaurant posted a sign in its window and an advert on Craigslist announcing it was hiring for full and part-time positions and told Patch they expected to open by the end of February.

The New York based chain serves Korean go-tos like bibimbap along with Asian fusion dishes like kimchi pancakes or udon noodle soup or seasoned french fries and, of course, the specialty Korean fried chicken.

Waltham joins spots in Cambridge, Allston and Lowell, and franchises across the country and internationally, according to the Bonchon website.

Other Restaurant news:

• New Restaurant Headed To Waltham Soon
• Aries Noodle And Dumpling Is Now Open On Main Street
• What Waltham Residents Want To See Open In 2019

If you know of a restaurant that just closed or just opened contact reporter Jenna Fisher, she can be reached at jenna.fisher@patch.com

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