As you leave school, the pizza you ate earlier did not fill you up, making your stomach grumble loudly. Looking around the busy streets of Malden Center, the different options of restaurants do not seem to satisfy you yet. Smelling the salty and fragrant air, you instantly realize that you are craving something savory, crispy, and delicious.
What is something that is savory and crispy, yet can satisfy your cravings and fill you up? There is only one thing that can satisfy you this afternoon: fried chicken. Not just any fried chicken, but specifically Korean fried chicken, known for its wide variety of flavors ranging from traditional classic golden chicken to mouth-watering spicy chicken with extra-crispy skin that is not too greasy.
A restaurant that hits all of your cravings is BBQ Chicken, a chain restaurant that started in Seoul, South Korea, and had their grand opening in Malden on September 2nd. Not only do they serve fried chicken, but also classic Korean dishes like spicy rice cakes called ddeok-bokki, kimchi fried rice, and many kinds of side dishes to pair with the main course.
In just a couple of days after its grand opening, the restaurant’s popularity had already reached the halls of MHS, making many students eager to try out this new restaurant. Senior Christina Robinson-McCaskill, who had heard from a friend and had seen the big sign upon its arrival, shared that the environment of the restaurant is “very lovely, it has a comfy ambiance with a modernized look,” adding the kind hospitality from the staff, it is “a great place to eat out with friends and chat!”
Robinson-McCaskill enjoys the dishes that are served, but highly suggests getting the golden fried chicken, stating, “it’s a classic and I can never go wrong with it. As someone with a low spice tolerance, I’m really grateful for a restaurant with such a variety of flavors. They still include an option for the ‘picky eaters’ like myself.” Overall, she recommends this restaurant to anyone willing to try something new around Malden.
Similarly, junior Vicky Chen also stated that the restaurant’s environment was “very lively.” Chen had heard about BBQ Chicken from her brother, but had also seen its opening while walking around Malden Center. Chen shared that she “was excited when BBQ Chicken opened because I love fried chicken,” and would recommend getting the “galbi boneless fried chicken… if it’s your first time at BBQ Chicken.”
Junior Camila Ramas also enjoyed her experience at BBQ Chicken, commenting that she felt excited when they opened. Hearing about this restaurant from her cousins who went to the one in Boston, she felt “the environment overall was very nice and clean and presentable, the employees are really friendly and they provide quick service.” Ramas’ favorite on the menu was the galbi chicken and would “recommend this dish to people who like sweet and savory.”
Not only has this restaurant impacted students at MHS, but its popularity has also made its way to teachers as well. Health teacher Patrick Healey and Media and Film teacher James Valente, who went together to check out this restaurant, both enjoyed the experience.
Healey shared that the inside of the place “felt like it was designed for socializing and kind of quick bites, bringing people together…I liked the vibe there.” He also added, “It’s great for there to be restaurants that are affordable, accessible, and welcoming…I think the more places that can embrace unique flavors can also meld traditions.” He highly recommends this place and stated his favorite menu item was the cheesling fries.
Likewise, Valente was familiar with BBQ Chicken since he had gone to other locations around the Boston area; he was excited that Malden had opened a location. “I think that having this right near a high school where kids are looking for a different type of menu item, it can introduce them to the idea that this is going to be the type of restaurant that’s going to be in the area that they go to school in, especially if they stay around here. So I think it’s a great place for it.”
Valente’s favorite go-to items were the kimchi fried rice and soy garlic wings, but he also has been getting the cheesling fries, commenting that “they’re so good” and that “they taste like a cheese puff.”
Amusingly, when that specific place was empty, someone had told him that they were looking for a place to open BBQ Chicken but could not find the right location. Valente said, “Wouldn’t it be great if that’s where they went?” About 3 weeks later, he saw a big sign that said “Coming soon.” “I kind of wished it to happen, and it happened,” Valente continued.
As a big fan of BBQ Chicken, he surely recommends students to check it out. “I think that if you are a student and you’re on a limited budget, they have some items that are not that expensive and obviously really tasty and really filling… I think that if they just open their palate, something new and different, they’re gonna find something they really like.”
The next time you feel hungry and need something to fill you up, grab your friends and check out BBQ Chicken’s kind environment, easy access, and delicious food on 8 Pleasant St.
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