In New York, Deuki Hong made his name cooking at a Korean barbecue spot where some of the world’s best chefs—from David Chang to Corey Lee—were eating. Not wanting to be that “New York douchebag” who acts like he’s God’s gift to San Francisco, Hong has kept his first year on the Left Coast comparatively low-key: His first San Francisco project is Sunday Bird, a fried chicken pop-up in the back hallway of a Boba Guys bubble tea shop.
When a Korean chef puts fried chicken on the menu, you expect something double-fried and tossed in gochujang—and Hong does sell a deboned, whole-bird version of that style on weekends. But the menu’s centerpiece is the Sunday Birdies ($5/$9), a Korean American spin on the popcorn chicken that’s ubiquitous at Taiwanese boba shops. Instead of fivespice powder, Hong’s version is finished with kimchee salt and interspersed with chewy fried rice cakes. Succulent and flaky-crusted, the Birdies recall Popeyes as much as they do Bonchon. Turns out that’s a good thing indeed.
1522 Fillmore St. (Near Geary Blvd.)
Originally published in the July issue of San Francisco
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