Chicken and Rice

Korean fare is on trend. And, what’s trending within this kimchi hot cuisine? Korean fried chicken. Fusing Asian spices and flavors with the cuisine of their forbearers, husband-and-wife duo Jason and Mary Cho are bringing the fried chicken shack concept to the museum district with a piquant twist. Dak & Bop — Korean for “chicken and rice” — has quickly gained a following in the Korean community and beyond.

Made-to-order wings, chicken strips and drumsticks are twice-fried then bathed in one of four sauces: a kicky sriracha, soy-garlic blend, hot and spicy (a mélange of Asian peppers and spices) and our fave, a mix of the last two. Order in combos or by the piece, and don’t forget the dipping sauce — we recommend spicy mayo. Flavor the half-hour or so it takes for your chicken to emerge from the bubbling oil with chicken baos — marvelous fluffy Chinese-born buns, stuffed here with boneless Korean fried chicken slices, citrus slaw, pickles and duck sauce ($7 to $9). Pair your meal with an icy seasonal beer, sake or glass of wine, along with parmesan fries ($8). If they’re offered, request the kimchi fries; we’re told this occasional special, along with kimchi empanadas and rice dishes, will soon find a permanent place on the menu. Dak & Bop, 1801 Binz, 713.528.0280, dakandbop.com