Wing Tips

A Guide to All the Wings at Seoul Chicken, NYC’s Newest Korean-Fried-Chicken Destination

The Gochujang-and-Buffalo wings at Seoul Kitchen.
The Gochujang-and-Buffalo wings at Seoul Kitchen. Photo: Melissa Hom

Last night, New York saw the opening of Seoul Chicken. And, as its name suggests, chef Chaz Brown’s Lower East Side restaurant specializes in Korean-style fried chicken: In fact, Brown serves whole and half-birds, fried thighs, and seven different kinds of wings. (Non-chicken snacks include kimchi fries, kale salad with orange and sesame, and pork riblets with herbs and chili.) The jumbo wings come from a farm upstate and are sourced through Hell’s Kitchen butcher Piccinini Brothers, but the main draw here are all the different preparations. To help you make your decision, should you visit, here’s a look at everything Brown’s kitchen does to its wings.

First up are the fish-sauce-and-garlic wings:

These are the perfect "drunk food" wings.
These are the perfect “drunk food” wings. Photo: Melissa Hom


These are the palm sugar and calamansi wings. Calamansi is a ruthlessly sour citrus fruit, hence the need for the additional sugar.

Zesty.
Zesty. Photo: Melissa Hom


The habañero-and-kimchi wings are as intense as you’d expect:

These are hot-hot, as they say, and funky at that.
These are hot-hot, as they say, and funky at that. Photo: Melissa Hom


While the sriracha and honey-sauced wings are gentler, and they get some lime wedges on the side:

These are also spicy.
These are also spicy. Photo: Melissa Hom


The Szechuan peppercorn and sea salt wings take an altogether different approach, drier than the sauced versions, they nevertheless carry Szechuan pepper’s tell-tale numbing heat:

There's a huge drumette underneath all of these.
There’s a huge drumette underneath all of these. Photo: Melissa Hom

In addition to this lineup, Seoul Chicken also serves a “Seoul dry spice” wing, which isn’t sauced. Its flavors, part of one of Brown’s private blends, include turmeric, black pepper, and dehydrated garlic.

Lastly, here’s a look at the natty dining room.

Front-of-house was designed by Chaz Brown in colloboration with David Barnett and Mac Pohanka of Noble Signs.
Front-of-house was designed by Chaz Brown in colloboration with David Barnett and Mac Pohanka of Noble Signs. Photo: Melissa Hom


And a place-setting right by the front window, where you could be sitting, say, tonight if you felt like it.

Helpfully, the menu also says you can buy a beer for the kitchen, for $2.
Helpfully, the menu also says you can buy a beer for the kitchen, for $2. Photo: Melissa Hom


Finally, look no further than right here (PDF) to zoom in on that menu.

Seoul Chicken, 71 Clinton St., nr. Rivington St.; 646-838-6066

A Guide to All the Wings at Seoul Chicken, NYC’s Newest