Another new chicken restaurant has opened its doors in Oxford. But this time, it’s Korean street-style.
On Jan. 17, Gary Zhao, the primary owner of BT Chicken, opened Oxford’s only Korean restaurant.
Zhao, who graduated from Miami University with a degree in computer science in 2022, hopes to bring an overlooked cuisine to a town that can see a lot of repetition, he said.
“I wanted to offer a new flavor of chicken for the people,” he said. BT Chicken, at 15 S. Beech St., offers nine different flavor options, from “Golden Cheese” to “Korean Sweet Spicy.”
Zhao has loved Korean food since childhood. While Zhao is originally from Beijing — where, he said, Korean food is popular — his goal as a chef is to overload the tastebuds with various flavors, rather than hone in on one core flavor. This is achieved by having a high sauce-to-chicken ratio. No bite will feel dry.
He and his girlfriend took a trip to Korea, hoping to learn about its cuisine. They spent three months learning cooking techniques from different restaurants leading up to the opening.
BT Chicken — BT stands for “Best Taste” — sports a Korean street culture ambiance. On the walls hang posters stylized with neon signs of different menu items, K-Pop plays in the background and on televisions, and the food itself aims to mimic classic street dishes.
In addition to the nine flavors of chicken, the menu offers burgers, specialty hot dogs and several sides including dumplings and potato corn dogs. The hot dogs, in particular, offer a unique take on the ballpark meal, by adding ingredients such as bacon, cheese and kimchi to the “Seoulful Sizzle Dog.”
Already, nearly a half dozen employees have been hired to operate BT Chicken. According to Zhao, that number should rise to seven or eight soon.
“I definitely like it,” Josh Graham, a senior at Fairfield Senior High School said. “It’s not fast-paced, nor is it real slow.”
Graham has worked at several restaurants in Oxford but likes BT Chicken the most.
Miami senior Drew Vollette said he enjoyed his first meal there.
“I think I would come back purely for the idea of trying something new.”
