Fine-dining meets Korean fried chicken at Miami’s new Krunch Cluck
What happens when two chefs with decades of experience in some of the Gold Coast’s best-known kitchens turn their attention to Korean fried chicken? The answer is Krunch Cluck, a new Miami eatery dishing up seriously crispy chicken, saucy Korean-style ribs, loaded burgers and plenty of flavour. Don’t be fooled by the casual setting, though. There’s some serious culinary know-how behind the crunch.
After years spent in some of the Gold Coast’s most polished kitchens, chefs James Kang and CK Yoo are swapping fine dining and flame-grilled steaks for something a little more casual. Their new Miami eatery, Krunch Cluck, is a celebration of Korean flavours, serving up gloriously crispy fried chicken, saucy ribs and generously stacked burgers, all backed by decades of culinary experience.
James brings around 20 years of experience across South Korea and Australia, with a resume that includes the JW Marriott, InterContinental Sanctuary Cove and The Langham, Gold Coast. CK, meanwhile, was previously head chef at Hurricane’s Grill & Bar in Surfers Paradise, bringing considerable expertise in grilled meats to the partnership. Together, they’ve created a relaxed, approachable take on Korean dining, with the kind of attention to detail you’d expect from chefs of their calibre.
While the setting is casual, the preparation is anything but. The pair have spent considerable time developing and refining their recipes, with everything from the chicken coatings to the sauces made in-house. The goal is fried chicken that stays satisfyingly crunchy, even as it cools, with flavours that strike the right balance between familiar Korean favourites and a few playful additions.
The chicken comes in half or whole portions, with bone-in and boneless options and five flavours to explore. There’s traditional sweet-spicy gochujang and savoury soy-and-garlic bulgogi, alongside smoked jalapeno and the particularly popular truffle honey. Can’t decide? The half-and-half option lets you sample two flavours. Genius.
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Beyond the chicken, the menu ventures into burgers, Korean street food and flame-grilled meats. The Gochujang Krunch Burger layers crispy chicken with slaw, tomato, cheese, pickled radish and house sauce, while CK’s grilling expertise shines through in the Korean-inspired pork ribs, marinated in a house-made soy-and-garlic sauce before being flame-grilled for a smoky finish. Beef short ribs are slow-cooked until tender and served with steamed rice and pickled vegetables.
For something more traditional, there’s tteokbokki, featuring chewy Korean wheat cakes, glass noodles and fish cake, available in original or creamy rose variations. Truffle fries, cheese corn dogs and an assortment of Korean fried snacks round out the menu, while Korean beers and flavoured soju provide plenty of opportunities to embrace the classic chicken-and-beer combination.
With seating for around 60 people, including a pet-friendly outdoor area, Krunch Cluck is designed to be an easygoing neighbourhood gathering place. For James and CK, it’s an opportunity to put their years of experience into something entirely their own, bringing a little Korean food culture to Miami, one gloriously crunchy bite at a time.
Krunch Cluck is now open. Head to The Directory for opening times.
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