Fly Chick to the Moon opens in Port Washington

First came Pelicana, then bb.q Chicken — now an independently-owned business is giving Korean fried chicken chains a run for the money. Fly Chick to the Moon has opened in the Port Washington space that was previously Margaritas Cafe. The shop owned by a local couple who hail from Jeju Island, a picturesque vacation spot that's referred to as the Hawaii of South Korea.

Owners Julia and Mason Kim also own two Port Washington bagel shops, Shore Bagel and Bagel Time next door to the restaurant. It was Mason's dream to expand with a new business, Julia said, and they were inspired to open a Korean fried chicken spot due to the growing popularity of Korean food and culture. The couple visited South Korean chicken chains like Pelicana for research, and eventually came up with their own recipe that includes frying the chicken one time in hot oil for around 20 minutes, depending on the chicken size and temperature of the oil. Julia says they only use high-quality chicken from a local Korean vendor, and are picky about the freshness and quality. 

"We've been in the food business for a long time as a local business," Julia said. "We always support local businesses rather than a franchise." 

Their chicken is simply, fantastic. And the atmosphere is considerably better than a typical chicken chain. Julia painted the walls of the high-ceilinged space black for an upscale pub vibe. A large mural of a full moon symbolizes Mason achieving his dream and flying like a chick to the moon. Housemade kimchi is sold from a refrigerator next to the bar area. (The restaurant hasn't yet gotten its liquor license so for now it's BYOB with no corkage fee.) 

The menu is more compact than a place like Pelicana. Chicken is offered in both wings and drumsticks, and can be tossed in four sauces: crispy, soy garlic, glazed and glazed hot. A boneless variety of wings goes by the name dak-gangjeong ($16.99), which has a sweeter/darker sauce and less crunch than regular wings. It's tasty but not as memorable as the main event: wings tossed in the glazed hot sauce ($18.99 for 8 pieces). 

The wings arrive in a single file on a long plate, garnished with whisper thin radish. The exterior is crackly with a sticky sweet glaze that gets all over your fingers. It's not as spicy as the name implies but the flavor is perfect, addicting. And the fat wings underneath that ambrosial shell are perfectly juicy, with cubes of pickled daikon offered on the side as a clean bite to counteract the rich chicken.

"If you buy chicken, it comes with the pickled radish. We just call it mu," Julia said. "You get the grease from chicken, but sour a little bit from the vinegar radish. So it’s good to eat, it’s a nice combination." 

Fly Chick to the Moon, 95 Manorhaven Blvd., Port Washington, 516-439-4576, flychicktothemoon.com. Open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Monday. 

By Andi Berlin

andi.berlin@newsday.comAndiBerlin

Andi Berlin is from Arizona and does not know where she is going. But when she gets there, she’ll find something beautiful and delicious that the world needs to taste.