Fire Chicken opens in former Bek-Hee space on Page Avenue in Overland
The pick-up and delivery business features deep-fried chicken and shrimp, bowls, ramen, and potsticker dumplings.
Photo by George Mahe
Photo by George Mahe
The concept is simple, the logo straightforward, the menu easy to digest. Fire Chicken opened late last week at 10200 Page in Overland, in the freestanding building that for years was home to Chinese restaurant Bek-Hee.
In what has become an all too familiar story, Fire Chicken was slated to open in the spring, only to be delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The owners are Michelle and Min Baik, a husband- and-wife team who also operate the restaurant. (Min was the owner of the former Blue Sea Japanese restaurant in St. Peters.)
The menu is a combination of four Asian dishes that have gained a following in the Midwest over the years. The signature item is chicken gangjung, deep-fried chunks of chicken breast, tossed in one of three sauces: teriyaki; a sweet, sticky, soy-sauce based “fire“ sauce; or gochujang (a popular and complex Korean red chili paste), which ironically is the hottest of the three. A generous portion, which includes rice and a soda, is priced at $12; a larger size is $18. A fried shrimp version is also available.
Courtesy Fire Chicken
Red Chicken Gangjung and Teriyaki Shrimp Bowl
A lighter option are the bowls, marinated chicken, shrimp, or beef, served with steamed rice, vegetables, and a boiled egg.
Ramen is served three ways—with chicken, bulgogi beef, or veggies—and the spice level can be amped up according to taste.
Rounding out the menu are deep-fried mandu (potsticker-shaped Korean dumplings), stuffed with pork or veggies and served with dipping sauce. Order them “popcorn-style,” which in this case means topped with cheese and spicy mayo.
Courtesy Fire Chicken
Chicken Ramen and Popcorn Mandu
Orders are placed either in person, at a window inside the door, or online through Uber Eats or Grubhub for pickup or delivery. Customers should keep in mind that sales are only transacted via credit card; no cash is accepted.
The Baiks feel confident that heading into an uncertain fall and winter, a small menu of established items designed for pickup and delivery is an economically sustainable and replicable idea.
“If you see a second Fire Chicken in town, you’ll know we were right,” says Michelle.
