Bonchon - Midlothian, VA
Summary
Bonchon in Midlothian, VA is a Korean fusion fried chicken place. The concept, menu, and advertisements look delicious. However, I was quite disappointed in my experience. During my visit I ordered the pork belly buns, seasoned fries, and kimchi.
Food Overall
Service
Atmosphere
Location
Value for Money
Overall
What I Ordered
Pork Buns
$13.99
The pork buns were listed as an appetizer. It consisted of three bao buns with cucumber, pork belly, coleslaw, garlic soy sauce, and katsu sauce. I think the recipe was probably good but the execution and ingredients were poor. One of the buns was old and hard. The pork belly was horrendously dry and hard to eat. I didn’t know you could have dry pork belly considering it is such a fatty meat. The sauces and slaw had good flavor but pork belly was just too terrible to be redeemed.
Seasoned Fries
$7.99
The seasoned fries were a basket of thin cut fries with parmesan, garlic, and parsley. These fries were quite good. The fries were nicely fried and very crispy. I mostly tasted the parmesan not the seasonings. These fries were an enjoyable snack.
Kimchi
$3.99
I ordered a side of kimchi. Kimchi is fermented cabbage and chili peppers. Also, it is a spicy dish. I normally like kimchi, and I couldn’t quite figure out why, but I did not like this kimchi. It had a nice heat level but the flavor was not good.
Overall Food
Overall, I was very disappointed in the food at Bonchon. The fries were pretty good but the pork belly buns and the kimchi were terrible. It seemed like the recipes were probably decent because the flavors were okay, but ingredients were old or prepared poorly so they turned out badly. Also, I think their presentation was pretty good. Additionally, most of the menu is Korean fried chicken, so I think their best and most popular items were the fried chicken and fries.
Service
The service at Bonchon was OK. The person that sat me was not very friendly but the server was very friendly and nice. They checked back at a decent interval. Additionally, you could dine in or carry out. I looked like most of their food is sold carryout.
Atmosphere
Size
There were about 15 tables and a full bar.
Who Goes Here?
It looked like mostly takeout and young people.
Overall Atmosphere
I did not like the storefront at Bonchon. It looked like at one time, when it first opened, it was nice and simple. But now it is really run down and dirty. The walls and furniture were dirty and greasy looking. As I sat there, I notice the ceiling was leaking water onto some of the tables and chairs along the window in the store. Also, it smelled a bit off. Overall, I was quite disgusted dining there and it made me wonder how clean the kitchen was if the dining room was like that.
Location
Bonchon in Midlothian, VA is in a shopping center near North Chesterfield Town Center. It is near a lot of other shops and restaurants but that shopping area itself is not as easily accessible the way the roads are laid out. There is parking available and it is not a walkable area.
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Value for money
Overall, I thought Bonchon was a terrible value for your money. The food was pretty expensive and in the price point of Chipotle or Panera, which may have been appropriate if it was good. However, the food quality was very poor, the atmosphere was grungy and unappealing, and the overall experience was unpleasant. So, you are paying a lot for a poor experience.
Overall
Overall, I do not recommend Bonchon in Midlothian, VA. They are a Korean American Fusion fried chicken restaurant near North Chesterfield town center. They have a good concept and decent recipes but the prepared food is not good and the dining experience is very poor. If you had to eat there, I think the fried chicken and fries are the safest choice.
