Gangchu: Korean Chicken and Beer

Time for another trendy restaurant in Seminole Heights.

Gangchu, 2021

Welcome to 2021. As you can imagine, as anyone living during this period can, new restaurants aren't as easy to come by, and the older favorites are much harder to enjoy. As someone who has taken to using their platform to showcase small, local business, you can imagine how excited I was to find out there was a new place opening. Rumor had been circling for a while that the mind behind Ichicoro was in the process of opening a new restaurant. Then I saw it. On Instagram of all places. An ad for the soft opening. Should we check this out? 

Kitchen, 2021

After convincing Stormy to come along, we made the call over to Brian and Sharnese. We knew we needed experts on chicken to truly help us enjoy this meal. So, I booked a reservation online, or at least, I thought I did. They use an outside program for reservations and for whatever reason, it did not take my reservation. No big deal, they were able to fit us in. Just be aware that it may get a bit buggy online. I'd suggest calling it in. Right before we were seated, we were also told that they had run out of chicken wings. Well... This will be an interesting night.

Bar, 2021

Seating is interesting. There is a main dining room, then a bar, then an outdoor area, and two private dining areas. With such little space, they managed to make quite a bit of room. The bar has a decent selection of beers and cocktails, and the dining room has decent spacing between tables. This concept was definitely created to be a social environment. Big, open windows compliment the inside, and the late night hours help people like me who work later. But you didn't come here for that.

Chicken Wings, 2021

"Mark, you said they didn't have wings?" Yes... So did they. So we get seated and Sharnese asks the waitress if they were out of all of their wings, or just the bone in. The waitress comes back and lets us know that they can do two orders of 12 wings. Ok... So, Brian and Sharnese get 12, and Stormy and I get 12. This is where Brian and Sharnese were much smarter than we were. You see, they ordered their wings as their meal. Stormy and I, being professional foodies, thought the wings would be much smaller, and decided to grab a meal on top of them. So, deal is, minimum of six wings, and every six wings can get their own flavor. So, Stormy and I got the honey mustard and the Korean BBQ. Brian and Sharnese got the pepper and one other flavor that is slipping my mind that I did not try. In order, I'd say the pepper was my favorite, followed by Korean BBQ, then honey mustard. What we weren't expecting was that the wings would be as big as they were. Seriously, the pictures don't do it justice. I'm a big dude. Those wings would've filled me up alone. However, I am a man of conviction, so I ordered some more food. 

Steak Sandwich, 2021

So I ordered myself a steak sandwich, which came with fries (naturally). The steak was so good. Cooked perfectly, nice peppery taste to it. The cheese the used complimented the steak in just the right way. And the bun, while it came apart easily, was also really good. This is not, however, a typical Philly Cheesesteak. They take quite a few liberties with the flavor in a way that is hard to put into words. I was worried about the fries more than anything, as fries are always so hit or miss, and they just look like typical fries. While the fries don't go above and beyond, they are definitely edible. Or professional fry eater, Brian, went through quite a few of them during dinner. Stormy, on the other hand, just got herself a plain chicken sandwich (Yes... chicken on a bun). She was content with it, but I can't really comment as I feel like it would be cheating to review this place based off of a sandwich that is supposed to be loaded with flavors and having none of them. If you do have this sandwich, by all means, leave a comment below and let us know how you like it. 

Inside, 2021

Overall, this place is good. The inside is really cool, the food is good, and Sharnese really enjoyed their cocktails. I said it while eating there: It's trendy enough to fit into any up and coming area (it wouldn't look out of place in L.A. either) and the food is inoffensive enough to cater to just about anyone. In the land of Seminole Heights, this wouldn't so much be a special occasion place. I foresee this restaurant becoming the local hangout for those in the area. It's also placed in an area of Seminole Heights without much else nearby, which means you can expect to see more places opening near it in the long run. The only real competition is Mermaid Tavern, and lets be honest, is that really competition? That said, make sure your reservations go through and enjoy some chicken wings!

Decor, 2021

Things to know before you go:

- This is Seminole Heights. It should go without saying that there is no parking. This parking lot, even if you find a space, is not fun to get in and out of. 

- They do, at least at the time of this writing, frequently run out of chicken wings. I would have a backup plan if that is the sole reason for your trip. 

- Their chicken wings are huge. Please be prepared if you order them. They really are big. I am not exaggerating here. 

- Bring friends, and double check your reservation. 

Where is your favorite place to grab chicken? Were you able to finish their chicken wings? Leave a comment below. If you'd like more information on Tampa, check out my YouTube Channel and if you'd like to support my efforts, don't hesitate to buy a shirt from our Spreadshirt. Also, don't be afraid to click subscribe and you'll instantly be notified whenever a new entry is posted. If you'd like to meet other people who love Tampa, consider joining our Facebook Group. Thank you all and I will see you next time!