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Brian O’Connor’s White Center sensation Bok a Bok opened with Korean fried chicken and kimchi mac and cheese on Capitol Hill on Friday, December 1, and the first day in business was a runaway success: O’Connor sold out of chicken and had to delay opening on December 2 to restock.
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Like the White Center original, the Capitol Hill spot is bare-bones and small, with minimal seating at a counter and a few tables. But the menu of chicken breast, drumsticks, thighs, and wings dipped in sesame soy garlic or Korean barbecue sauce is also served at The Runaway, Barboza, and adjacent Neumos. Take-out is also available.
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O’Connor, former chef at Skillet and Roux, opened the first Bok a Bok to instant acclaim in June 2016. Though his new restaurant doesn’t have a liquor license and therefore can’t serve the soju slushies that are a favorite with the south-end crowd, the Capitol Hill expansion does offer a few non-alcoholic drinks: Jones soda, sparking waters, and Korea’s popular toasted-barley sweet tea. And of course the neighboring bars all serve booze alongside O’Connor’s coveted fried chicken.
