Discovering the Best Lemon Pepper Wings in Dallas at Hotsome Chicken

Chicken. Hot oil. A breading made of flour or starch. An abundance of seasonings. It’s hard to go wrong. But Hotsome Chicken gets it more than right. It knocks it out of the park.

Fried chicken is a staple in American cuisine, much like the burger, the hot dog or pizza. Lately, however, many of us Dallasites have been straying from the classic “Southern" fried chicken we grew up eating. Instead, with absolutely no regrets, we’ve warmly embraced chicken with roots outside of Texas, such as Nashville hot chicken and Korean fried chicken. Hotsome Chicken falls into the latter category.

As you probably know, Hotsome is not alone in the Korean chicken market in North Texas. Heck, it’s a short drive from other heavy hitters, like No. 1 Plus Chicken and a bb.q Chicken location. Nevertheless, without fear, Hotsome Chicken holds its own.
Hotsome is nestled in one of North Texas’s newest best-kept secrets: the food court attached to Zion Market, which itself makes up only a corner of the otherwise quiet Music City Mall in Lewisville. Truth be told, even if you knew about Zion Market, it would be easy to miss the attached food court unless you were looking for it. Music City Mall’s “Food Court” sign leads visitors to the mall food court, rather than the gallery of Korean food stalls at the far end of Zion Market.

When you do find the market’s food court, you will know that you're in the right place. Aside from the Korean lettering that adorns many of the signs, you’ll also see sushi to your right and Korean hot dogs to your left. In front of you and just a little to the right, you’ll see the big “HOTSOME CHICKEN” sign.
So, what makes Hotsome Chicken different? Perhaps a better question is: What makes it so good? Already, as you approach the counter, your nose will inform you that you are in for a treat. Delightful scents will assault your sense of smell, making it extremely difficult to have second thoughts or pull away to find dinner elsewhere. Fried chicken. Parmesan. Garlic. Chili ... Heaven.

As you take your first bite, you’ll hear that signature crunch that defines Korean chicken. Furthermore, as good Korean chicken should, Hotsome’s fried chicken retains its crispiness regardless of the flavor. As a bonus, Hotsome does not hold back on the sauce.

Earning its name, Hotsome has some seriously spicy flavors. We find the sweet chili hot, with its stacking heat, to be plenty spicy. However, braver souls are welcome to try the spicy Korean BBQ. Another flavor, Korean Junkie, complements its spice with honey, salt and a subtle acidic touch, resulting in a delectable and tangy concoction.

To be sure, if you are looking for the spiciest of spicy fried chicken, we must admit that you might be better off looking elsewhere. However, if it's some of the best Korean chicken in the area you seek, then look no further than Hotsome. Hotsome is more than just gimmicky spiciness. The double garlic, for example, achieves quite the feat, rounding out a powerful garlic taste with a sweet honey. Then, there’s the lemon pepper with thick granules of zesty seasonings, which add an extra crunch to the already crispy chicken. It might not be a stretch to say these are some of the most divine lemon pepper wings and drums in North Texas.

You may be too busy salivating over the great flavors to notice, but another remarkable aspect of Hotsome is that the chicken is crispy without sacrificing the tenderness and juiciness of the meat.

Hotsome leaves us with a couple of questions. Their sign reads “EATERY & DESSERTS,” but where are the desserts? Maybe we were too distracted by the wonderful smells to notice them; or maybe “desserts” refers to the delicious honey butter fries or the snowy fried chicken dish. Who’s to know? Lastly, we’d also love to know how Hotsome achieves such crispy, juicy and flavorful chicken. Like the first question, we can’t answer that one for certain. Perhaps, we need to go back for another bite.

Hotsome Chicken, 2405 S. Stemmons Freeway, No. 123. Thursday – Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.; closed Wednesday.