Chix & Bowls: The yin and yang of fast-casual food
Tony Chen, Ben Wang, and Jay Zhang, who have Chix & Wings on 11th Street near Walnut, elected to balance wings with better-for-you rice bowls.
Your shop specializes in hormone-free Korean fried chicken that people clamor for. But you want to grow your business on another side of town, where the clientele seems to have more of an interest in eating healthfully.
Such was the dilemma of Tony Chen, Ben Wang, and Jay Zhang, who have Chix & Wings on 11th Street near Walnut. While planning their second eatery, they elected to balance wings with better-for-you rice bowls.
This week saw the debut of Chix & Bowls (28 S. 20th St.), between the Dunkin Donuts at 20th and Chestnut Streets and Nuts to You.
Menu includes five kinds of sauced wings (plus plain), fried chicken sandwiches, and the rice bowls, which are topped with vegetables, steak, or chicken. All is made from scratch.
Each bowl is accompanied by two vegetables - all with Asian flavorings including spicy cucumber, diced pickled radish, and sesame carrots. The veggie bowls ($5.95) get three sides.
The bowls, which yield a more-than-fair portion for $7.59 and $8.95 (depending on topping), are reminiscent of the customizable feasts at Real Food Eatery on 16th Street near Walnut.
Seating, alas, is limited to a few tables.
Hours are lunch through dinnertime Monday to Saturday.