By Joyce Smith
Geng Lin had several favorite orders at his friend’s Chick Bo-Bao shop in Omaha.
The Korean fried chicken with teriyaki sauce or honey mustard, the Korean hot dogs, and the banana mango smoothie. Sometimes he would opt for the mochi doughnuts, and bubble tea.
He said that menu, while popular at several suburban restaurants in the Kansas City metro, was lacking in south Kansas City.
Now he’s renovating a former Dunkin’ doughnuts space – on an endcap in the Shops at Willow Creek, 10143 Wornall Road – for the metro’s first Chick Bo-Bao.
Boba Teas will include black sugar latte, Miss Taro, Yakult Mango, and Virgin Pina Colada.
It will have chicken sandwiches and spicy chicken sandwiches, chicken wings, boneless fried chicken, chicken nuggets, chicken tenders, build-your-own Korean corn dogs, egg rolls, fries, crab Rangoon and doughnuts.
Chick Bo-Bao serves a selection of a dozen sauces, including soy garlic, gangnam spicy, and Korean Red Devil Sauce. But the mere mention of the Red Devil sauce has Lin shaking his head no, while saying “too spicy.” He is sure to have some customers to test that out.
For dessert, look for ice cream – vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, or Cookies & Cream.
There are just two locations in Omaha, not enough to be called a chain. But Lin plans to change that.
He said his licensing agreement will let him open as many locations as he likes in Kansas and Missouri. (The Omaha Chick Bo-Bao founder couldn’t be reached for comment.) Lin wants second generation restaurant spaces, about 2,000-square-feet.
He looked at the former Dunkin’ spot first before checking out other sites. But it drew him back for the high traffic on Wornall, and its proximity to Interstate 435 and several car dealerships.
He also liked that it had a drive-thru. But he said Dunkin’ took nearly everything except a counter and a walk-in cooler. So after signing a lease in November, he has been working on the build-out.
Chick Bo-Bao has easy-to-make menu items, so training employees won’t take long, he said. He hopes to open in late April.
Hours will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays.
Lin opened Shawnee’s Grand Wok, at 15810 Shawnee Mission Parkway, in 2009. It was a full-service restaurant until the COVID-19 pandemic and now it is mostly quick-serve to-go, although it has some seating.
Discover more from Martin City Telegraph
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.