Han’s Chimaek in Boise serves a very South Korean popular dish—and this may become a very popular Boise dish soon too. Chimaek in Korean basically means “Chicken Beer”; and this is at the heart of what you will find at Han’s Chimaek in Boise. Fried chicken may not be exclusively a Korean dish, but in Korea they have elevated cooking fried chicken to an art. The crust on Korean Fried Chicken is extremely thin, making a delicate but noticeable crunch. This crunch is the key to Korean fried chicken and it’s popularity throughout Asia and into the US now.
Han’s Chimaek in Boise brings the key elements of Chimaek to the Treasure Valley. A selection of cold draft beers, available by glass or pitcher pair with a multitude of choices of the addictive fried chicken. The chicken is available either whole, as boneless chunks or as the best wings you’ll ever have. For extra crunch, the Signature Fried Chicken is the flavor to get, giving pure, unadulterated crackly crust. The other choices include the Signature Yangnyum, a spicy sauce slathered over the hot fried chicken; a Garlic Soy Sauce, a Buffalo sauce and a Creamy Onion Sauce.
Ryeongmin, the owner of Han’s Chimaek, talked with The Boise Beat about several of the sauces. He said, “The Yangnyum Sauce is something that’s most popular in Korea. Without Yangnyum, you can’t call your restaurant a chicken place! What it means in Korean is sauce—I mean, that is the straight, basic translation—but it really means the specific sauce that is sweet, a little bit spicy and kind of salty. It probably has around twenty different flavors in it. Those flavors combine to make it one of those—well, the best chicken wings ever! That’s currently the most popular one as well”. He was very good, as was AJ working back in the kitchen, at explaining all the different sauces and combinations available at Han’s Chimaek.
For trying a few types of the chicken at Han’s Chimaek, Ryeongmin suggested the Boneless Creamy Onion and the Yangnyum Wings. To complement a choice of the fried tofu, the Soy Garlic Sauce was suggested as a good combination. Waiting for the order and sipping on a cold Big Wave Beer, it was easy to see that Han’s Chimaek is also very popular as a takeout place, with several orders being picked up during the wait. Like BBQ4Life in Boise, Han’s Chimaek has made a conscious effort to create hot, delicious foods for vegetarians and vegans too rather than include just a few salads and some steamed vegetables.
When the order arrived at the table, everything was fresh and hot. Trying the chicken wings first, the sauce covering these nice meaty wings was a little sweet, nice and spicy with a good amount of kick; and still crunchy. The wings were cooked perfectly and the meat came off the bones easily. The sauce was so good that it was hard to avoid licking it off the fingers after each wing was done.Plus, crunchy chopped peanuts on top added a nice textural dimension. It’s hard to imagine a better wing than these and it is going to be interesting on the next visit which other sauce to try because the Yangnyum sauce it so delicious.
The Boneless Chicken came with a Creamy Onion Sauce. Ryeongmin said about this sauce, “This is the Creamy Onion, this is not super well known; only a few restaurants have it. This is just great! I got inspired when I tried it for the first time at my friend’s restaurant. Normally I can’t finish the whole chicken, but on that day I was able to finish the whole plate without sharing it with anybody. So I wanted to bring this as well to you since most people haven’t tried it. They don’t exist in Korea, this is something that we sell as much as Yum Yum (Yangnyum). It’s more like a sweet and savory flavor with some fresh onions on it. It’s not spicy—just those three flavors combined makes it simply wonderful”.
When the order came, it looked absolutely amazing. Big chunks of boneless fried chicken were covered with a thick, creamy sauce and then topped with a big mound of thinly sliced sweet onions. The sauce itself was excellent; and coated the fried chicken with a mild yet tasty gloss. The onions themselves were really surprising, with very little bite and just enough taste to go well with the mild sauce. Choosing to use the chopsticks on these chunks of chicken gave a nice opportunity to get all the flavors of the chicken with the sauce and onions. This was another flavor that really had all the sweet and savory elements to it, with a nice dose of umami too.
Being a big fan of both Japanese Age Tofu and Thai Fried Tofu with Sweet and Sour Sauce, it was an easy choice to try the Fried Tofu at Han’s Chimaek. Presented on a bed of white rice, the tofu was nicely fried on the outside and almost molten hot inside; right there making it a dish that is perfect to take home since it would still be hot when unpacked. Enjoying it inside Han’s Chimaek, though was as simple as taking a bite and washing it down with some more nice cold beer.
Reyeongmin said of this combination, “The Soy Sauce Tofu is something that would be similar to Say Garlic Chicken Sauce in Korea. It has sweet flavor, salty flavor and garlic flavor. Those three are combined together and it make’s it really good. With tofu, since we have a lot of vegetarian people and people who don’t eat meat like vegans, we tried to make something up so they can enjoy our food as well. We’re not just for those who can eat meat. A lot of people like it; in fact, some of the people who eat meat also enjoy the tofu as well”.
Like the other flavors, the Soy Sauce could be highly addicting. Ideally, as in Korea, it is nice to come to Han’s Chimaek in Boise with a group, in order to try several sauces and types of chicken and tofu as you share them, along with your nice cold beer. Of course, there are also many choices of non-alcoholic drinks too if you prefer. The menu also has several Meal Combos if you just want a simple meal for one person. Han’s Chimaek is located on Broadway, sharing a building and parking lot with the Broadway Bar. There is plenty of seating inside, making it easy to come with friends and just enjoy drinks, chicken and tofu.
Chimaek has become one of the most popular ways for those in South Korea, Japan and many of the other Asian countries to enjoy an after-work time with friends. Han’s Chimaek has brought this to Boise and it seems to be a great way to enjoy some good food and good friendship. This is indeed fried chicken at it’s best and Han’s Chimaek is a perfect introduction to enjoying it the Korean way. For an after-work gathering, football game viewing or just great food and camaraderie, Han’s Chimaek offers a great way to enjoy some of the best fried chicken you’ll ever have.
Han’s Chimaek
1716 S. Broadway
Boise, ID 83706
(208) 336-5959
Han’s Chimaek Website
Han’s Chimaek Facebook Page
Han’s Chimaek Instagram Page
