Korean fried chicken is coming to Canton.
Bonchon Chicken, the New York City-based franchise known for its South Korean-style fried chicken, will soon open in an end unit of Canton's Broom Factory building on Boston Street, franchisee Gregory Trepetin said Wednesday. From 2012 to 2015, the space housed Delmarva's Southern Café.
The tentative plan is to open by early September, Trepetin said. The renovation and city permitting processes have begun but have not yet been completed, he said.
"We are aggressively moving to open the store," Trepetin said. "We are about three months away, if I had to guess."
The Canton location (3500 Boston St.) will be the chain's sixth Maryland franchise, joining locations in Ellicott City, Frederick, Germantown, Hyattsville and Rockville. A location in Waldorf is also "coming soon" according to the Bonchon website.
Trepetin said "absolutely" more Bonchon locations are coming to Baltimore City and County in the near future, but that it was too early to discuss details.
"One hundred percent, there's more stores coming," said Trepetin, whose Trepco Management company is working with Bonchon to bring more locations to the Baltimore area.
Founded in 2002, Bonchon opened its first U.S. location in Fort Lee, N.J., in 2006. As of January, Bonchon had 188 total restaurants in the United Sates and Asia, according to the company's website, with more in the works.
Bonchon specializes in fried chicken wings, drumsticks and strips, with accompanying spicy, soy garlic and half-and-half sauces. (The sauces are made exclusively in South Korea and shipped to all Bonchon locations.) Asian-fusion dishes like bibimbap, bulgogi and pork buns are also offered.
The chicken is made to order, Trepetin said, which means it typically takes 15-20 minutes for a patron to receive fried chicken. The Canton location will have delivery and takeout services, Trepetin said.
Like Delmarva's, Bonchon will serve alcohol, he said. He called the marriage between Bonchon's fried chicken and Korean beer "a key factor" to the restaurant's experience. The South Korean lager Hite, among others, will be sold.
The Canton Bonchon will have close to 80 seats inside, Trepetin said. There are plans to add outdoor seating after opening.