Bawk & Boba

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Head chef Mingge Zhang has fond memories of her university days, going out with friends and discovering the newest fried chicken and boba tea restaurants. Now thanks to Boba Chicken, both of her favorite things have come together under one roof.

Opening in April, Boba Chicken is the newest restaurant to hit Southlake Boulevard. Located inside the former Beanvoy Coffee Lounge next door to Pokeworks, the restaurant focuses on serving both Asian-style fried chicken and boba tea to hungry patrons.

With a culinary background that includes working in Michelin-starred Chicago restaurants Grace and Blackbird, Mingge felt inspired to bring something unique to the Southlake area.

“I always thought they both go together really well,” Mingge says. “I went to all of these boba tea stores and fried chicken restaurants, but none of them combined the two together. I was thinking, why don’t we do both? It’s a really good combination.”

The fried chicken is breaded in-house and uses an original spice and flour mix to create wings that are as crunchy as they are juicy. While the original spicy wings are flavorful enough on their own, what really makes the chicken pop with flavor are the homemade sauces. Mingge’s favorites are the Spicy Korean BBQ, which is made with a Gochujang paste and garlic mixture, and the saltier Soy Sassy made with Kikkoman sauce. Other flavors include Garlic Parmesan, Honey Mustard, Sriracha and Snowing Sweet Cheese.

But if boba is what you’re after, then its tea offerings do not disappoint. Using premium loose-leaf tea leaves, real fruit and tapioca balls, Boba Chicken’s refreshing beverages help balance out your meal whether you order a traditional milk tea or a frozen slushie. Even original creations like the Black Sugar Dirty Boba, which uses brown sugar syrup instead of regular boba pearls, bring a new spin on the beloved Asian staple.

“This concept really goes beyond generations, especially when it comes to the younger ones,” owner Chuck Lo says. “We hope this is the only place people go to for boba. We also hope this is the only place people go to for fried chicken. We want to become the go-to destination for both.”