Korean fried chicken coming to Oakland... times really are a'changin' in Pittsburgh!
I wish I could say it remotely measures up to anything bigger cities have to offer but... no :( Underwhelmed.
It's a shame, because the shop is very cute. Easy ordering instructions and options for drinks and chicken on 2 menus. A garage door in the summer, though the seating inside is pretty limited. And honestly, the chicken is not a bad deal. Either a combination of decently sized wings (drums and flats) or actual drumsticks - or a mix of both - for decent prices.
But the sauces aren't great. The sweet/spicy is just sweet + sliiight afterburn. Not much of anything else besides sticky sweet - pass. The soy option is better, but strong on garlic, and there was something off about the overwhelming garlic that I didn't enjoy. The better of the two though. Overall, they lacked the aromatics and balance that makes korean fried chicken so addicting. And the batter... too much cornstarch? Because it's like unpleasantly crunchy instead of crispy.
I probably wouldn't eat here again, unless they changed things up a bit.
Tried a couple of bubble teas and they were pretty good, so it's definitely an option to keep in mind for a quick grab and go tea/smoothie place in Oakland. Nothing I would go out of the way for. If only the chicken were better...