Fried chicken, twisted potatoes and garlic mayo sauce are just a few of the delicious flavors offered at Chicken Holic.
Chicken Holic opened July 7 in Kona’s Old Industrial Area and has become a popular plate lunch restaurant through word-of-mouth.
Sujan Yi and her cousin MK Hong decided to bring a new flavor to Kailua-Kona — an authentic Korean restaurant that specialized in chicken. Hong has had previous experience working in restaurants while living in Korea and brings his knowledge to the kitchen. All of the dishes are made from family recipes put together by Hong’s wife.
“My favorite is the hot and crispy chicken. It comes with garlic mayo homemade sauce,” Yi said. That sauce is more than a one-of-a-kind recipe; it’s a secret family recipe that her mother, Jenny Yi, came up with. So far, it’s been a hit, Yi said. Served on top of garlic rings or crispy chicken, it’s the perfect compliment to their authentic Korean flavors.
Why have a restaurant dedicated to chicken lovers? Yi noted that chicken is a very popular meat in Korea. Everyone loves chicken, Yi said, so they opened the Kaiwi Street restaurant, next to the Kona Ice House. They offer chicken prepared in various ways with sauces to give it an added touch of flavor.
The staff at Chicken Holic has been overwhelmed by the response from the community.
“People are really interested in the food. We’ve been open two-and-a-half weeks and some people have been back five times already,” Yi said.
Everything is prepared daily. All the food served is prepared the same day and cooked to order.
“The chicken is hand battered and cooked to crispy perfection,” Yi said.
In addition to chicken, they serve a variety of plate lunch options. Spicy pork, kalbi, pork curry and fish and chips are some nonchicken alternatives. Each plate lunch comes with two scoops of rice and a choice of tossed or mac salad, with prices starting at $6.99.
One unique dish they serve is a twist potato — a Korean specialty. The potato is cut in a thin spiral, placed on a stick, deep fried with their homemade batter to a golden brown color, and flavored to perfection.
Chicken Holic offers dine in and take out options from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Catering for parties and events is also available. To place a catering order, stop by or call Chicken Holic at 327-0080.
With affordable meals, large portions and food prepared fresh daily, Yi said you can’t go wrong when you eat at Chicken Holic.
“Once you try our food, you’ll be back for sure — you’ll become a chicken holic,” she said.