Chick’n & Mi

In a land famous for fried chicken, Chick’n & Mi stands out for delivering one of the juiciest, most delicious sandwiches I’ve come across — in Kentucky or anywhere else.  

It has all the basics of good fried chicken: juicy, tender, crisp edges, but with an Asian spin. Topped with a shiny brioche bun, it arrives knife-butt-up, layered with a slightly spicy kimchi slaw, creamy black garlic aioli, and pickled cucumbers. There are four preparations of the fried boneless thigh: with sweet soy, jeaw bong, “X-tra hot,” or naked with peppercorn ranch. We got the sweet soy with a side of jeaw bong, sold as the “medium” spicy option. The sweet soy is just right with the spicy kimchi, and a dip in the rich jeaw bong adds a layer of sweet spicy goodness. 

If you’d like more to your meal, which I recommend, the menu is thoughtful if long-winded, with ample explanations of everything from its dishes to the cocktails and beer. (They even made PBR sound good).

Cauliflower is lightly fried with a Calabrese fish sauce and tossed with toasted sunflower seeds, herbs, and plump pickled currants. It soaks up the delicious sauce, which is rich and savory, balanced by the sweetness of the currants. My only complaint is the florets were left nearly whole, which (slightly) slowed down my consumption.

Mama’s dried pork egg rolls are long and crunchy, stuffed with vermicelli noodles, cabbage, and carrot, and served with both sweet chili sauce and hot mustard. The mustard has a distinct wasabi flavor that brings out the sweetness of the pork.

Then there’s the pork belly steam buns. The buns themselves are fluffy and snowy white, the perfect vehicle for a swipe of sweet hoisin and the caramelized Berkshire pork belly. They’re topped with a single marinated cucumber slice and a few slivers of pickled red onion. I like that they’re not overly stuffed, and have just the right amount of sweet hoisin. They’re served with the aforementioned mustard, but I didn’t find it necessary here.  

We also got the ramen, which has a rich beefy broth and a mound of spicy chili paste on top. (“If you don’t want to go straight to 11, I’d add a little at a time,” our server thankfully warned us.)

The inside is comfortable and modern, with rustic wood accents and greenery throughout. It’s separated into two connected rooms, the one in front featuring a bustling bar. There’s also outdoor seating, for when it’s not too hot. While everything here is delicious and colorful, I’d come for that fried chicken every day of the week.