Source: corner.inc
Nestled in the Forest Hill Shopping Center, between Safeway and Trader Joe’s, sits Ttobongee Chicken. A small storefront tucked with an assortment of international restaurants, Ttobongee offers a familiar feel to anyone who enters. The environment inside was warm and cozy, and only having room for 5-6 tables only enhances that vibe. We were greeted with a very warm and hospitable waiter, who filled the room with singing and delight. Starting off, a fan-favorite, if you are up for it, the pickled radishes hit the spot with a unique, pungent flavor.
We ordered two orders of the fried chicken, one with the original flavoring and
one the spicy, “Yang Nyum Chicken”. In addition, for those who have peanut allergies, all fried dishes are cooked without peanut oil and peanuts unless stated otherwise. Both dishes came out piping hot and were both juicy and very crispy with a lot of drums and wings to go around. Even with the “original” flavoring, the chicken’s seasoning was not plain by any means. The original flavoring had a great chili flavor but was still tolerable for anyone with weaker spice tolerance. Of course, the Yang Nyum Chicken was spicier and the flavor had greater emphasis on their “Sweet and Korean Chili Sauce”. We also ordered one Beef Bulgogi, which is thinly sliced beef marinated in a special sauce, served with rice and coleslaw. Having tried other Bulgogis, this one takes the cake. The flavors when the beef combines with the rice are beyond compare, and we highly recommend one try this dish.
As a side order, the kimchi was flavorful and strong. The pickled flavor balances out the intense spices to create a melting pot of both in a great-tasting dish. The food was bit on the expensive side, the original chick-
en was $18 for reference, but we believe the price is worth it for both the taste and amount of food we were given.
Left to right: Jonah De Leon (10), Kabir Sharma (10), Daren Light (10), “Ersi Kullolli” (11)
At the end of the meal, we took some time to learn more about the institution behind the restaurant. One of the waiters told us, “We opened during the middle of the pandemic–around 2020 I think,” he continued, “the owners were in computers actually and they finished their career to open a restaurant–-this is a chain so it was an easier process to open but business was slow for the first two years. Now we have more regular customers”. The waiter also told us his favorite dish was the Gal Bi Chicken, which none of us had tried, but we recommend to anyone visiting for the first time as it will be the first thing we try when we go back.
Overall, we enjoyed our meal at Ttobongee Chicken, and we recommend the small, familiar-feeling restaurant to anyone in the area who likes great Korean food and fried chicken with large portions. Check out the menu at ttobongeeus.com
