When you hear the words “Asian food,” what typically goes through your mind? Fried rice, stir fry, maybe boba. Well, today, I’m here to introduce you to Asian fried chicken, one of my favorite delicacies that I grew up eating. What makes Asian fried chicken unique is that it’s fried twice to make it extra juicy and tender. However, since I go to school thousands of miles away from home, I’ve had a hard time finding a restaurant that serves up crispy wings and drumsticks the way my Mom makes it, until 10Q Chicken opened up in Evanston this past August. I was fortunate enough to come in to talk to owner and co-founder David Yoo and try out some items off the menu. Here are the highlights from my visit.
About 10Q Chicken
10Q Chicken is a fast-casual fried chicken joint with a Korean twist. Owner David Yoo explains that he and his co-founder, William Song—who actually founded BopNGrill, another famous Chicago-based Korean fast food restaurant—wanted to bring in these Korean flavors to the North Shore, where Yoo grew up. This feeling of nostalgia and ties to the community informed much about the restaurant’s friendly and customer-centric atmosphere.
When you enter 10Q Chicken, you’re immediately greeted with personable employees, but most importantly, the comforting scent of fried chicken. Endearing and dedicated to giving the customer the best experience possible, 10Q Chicken certainly lives up to Yoo’s mission to bring his childhood scents and flavors and memories to Chicagoans.
The Starters
Kangnam Style Wings
One of Yoo’s favorites and 10Q Chicken’s signature items, an order of five jumbo Kangnam style wings is the perfect starter for your chicken-filled day. Coated in a slightly sweet Korean BBQ marinade and a generous sprinkling of sesame seeds to add some texture, you’ll want to just fill up on these wings, but make sure you save room for all the other goodies 10Q has to offer.
Panko Tenders
Not a bone-in kinda person? 10Q Chicken’s got you covered with their chicken tenders, which will put all the store-bought, frozen ones to shame. The buttermilk brine and panko bread coating make for the perfect duo, because the chicken strips remain moist on the interior yet fried until golden on the eterior. I highly recommend getting a three-piece with the garlic parmesan aioli because aioli is the superior sauce and, not to mention, 10Q Chicken’s aioli is creamy and packed with herbs.
The Sauces
Rihanna once said, “You know I got the sauce//You know I’m saucy,” and 10Q definitely does, too. The sauces are the real star of the show. From garlic parmesan aioli and Kangnam sauce to dip your wings (my favorite), or the highly-addictive sesame dressing for your greens (my friend’s favorite), what sets 10Q apart from other fried chicken joints are its unique sauces to turn up the heat or offset the spice.
The Sandwiches
The anatomy of a sandwich is pretty basic: Two slices of bread, a protein, maybe some sauce and veggies. 10Q has taken that recipe and elevated it into a hefty, handheld meal. While there, we of course had to try the 10Q: a behemoth of panko fried chicken slathered in a togarashi mayo and topped with pickled radishes. Now I’m not a huge fan of mayo, but the creaminess of the egg-based sauce blended with the spicy chili flakes of the togarashi worked harmoniously. I have dreams about biting into this sandwich and sleeping atop the pillowy brioche bun that forms its ends.
The Bowls
The Korean BBQ bowl is a cohesive, filling, and wholesome dish for those looking for other options than just fried chicken. The Korean-style white rice serves as a base for the crispy, well-marinated grilled chicken, and the crisp veggies and addictive sesame sauce balanced everything out. And for $7.99, it’s a steal, since it can easily and comfortably feed two people.
The Desserts
Call me a basic foodie, but I look for an excuse to put matcha in everything. It’s definitely one of my favorite flavors because it’s slightly earthy yet satisfies even the sweetest of cravings. What I loved about 10Q Chicken’s matcha soft-serve was that the ice cream was smooth and contained no icy bits, plus the Oreo powder really complements the bitter notes of the matcha.
Evanston, you’ve got a gem in 10Q Chicken. Stop by its Church Street location and have a bite of some Asian fried chicken that reminds me of home. You’ll be saying “10Q” later.