FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JANUARY 27, 2022 • THE QUEENS COURIER 37
buzz
Korean fried chicken spot in Douglaston
among Queens’ hottest new restaurants
BY TAMMY SCILEPPI
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Th is chicken rocks, y’all!
Eater editors just named Rokstar
Chicken – a Korean fried chicken quickservice,
takeout and delivery spot in
Douglaston – among the 15 hottest new
restaurants in Queens.
Owner Mark Lee — who noted that
the “Rok” in Rokstar stands for Republic
of Korea (R.O.K.) — bravely forged
ahead and launched his new business
in December 2021, amid the ongoing
pandemic, because he knew that folks
in Queens couldn’t get enough of that
“down-home” Korean comfort food.
“It’s a New York brand with Korean
roots,” Lee said. “Our goal is to globalize
Korean fried chicken, and continue to
introduce and share our culture with the
world through the best way possible: food.
And what better food than fried chicken?”
Lee told Eater the main focus of the restaurant
is high-quality food.
“It’ll make you feel like a rockstar,” he
said.
You can fi nd Rokstar Chicken, conveniently
located inside local supermarket
Food Bazaar, at 242-02 61st Ave. near
Douglaston Parkway.
If you stop by and pick up some fried
chicken, you can pair it with your choice
of unique sauces, like sweet chili, soy garlic
barbecue and spicy ranch. Chicken
lovers can get a whole chicken, boneless
chicken, tenders or wings, as well as a
chicken sandwich and other sides.
According to Lee, their grand opening
weekend was “amazing.”
“We sold out of our chicken every day
during that weekend. It was really good to
have all the locals try our chicken and be
excited about it,” he said.
A longtime Queens boy who was raised
in Flushing and now resides in Bayside,
Lee immigrated to the U.S. from South
Korea.
“Growing up there, my favorite sport
was baseball, and the team to watch was
Haitai Tigers, representing my hometown,
Kwang Ju. Th ey were champions
year aft er year,” Lee said. “When I was 10,
I remember going to watch one of their
playoff games. Th e energy was insane,
Rokstar Chicken, a recently opened Korean fried chicken spot located in a Douglaston supermarket,
is among the hottest restaurants in Queens.
kinda like New Yorkers whenever the
Knicks win. But apart from the cheers
and smiles, I noticed what seemed like
every single person in that stadium had
by their side: fried chicken — of course,
with a beer.”
Korean fried chicken has been around
since the 1970s and since then has been
a staple in Korean culture and lifestyle.
Enjoyed as a meal, snack or anju (food
served with drinks), it has become a comfort
food for many people.
So, why are critics calling Rokstar
Chicken one of the hottest restaurants
in Queens?
“We are bringing Korean fl avors with
New York attitude! Our chickens are
made fresh to order, so it’s juicy, tender,
Photos courtesy of @melastudios
light and very crispy,” Lee said. “We
source all our ingredients and work
with one of the best manufacturers from
Korea.”
Lee and his team have many years of
experience in the restaurant industry.
He also owns a sweets shop called Spot
Dessert Bar in Flushing and the East
Village, which he has operated for over 11
years. One reviewer described it as “fun
and ultra-Instagrammable.”
Rokstar Chicken is open Monday
through Sunday, from noon to 9 p.m.
Prices range from $8 to $35 for a full
size box.
“What’s my ultimate goal? Th ink Shake
Shack but Korean fried chicken,” Lee said.
Rokstar Chicken is located inside Food Bazaar supermarket, at 242-02 61st Ave. in Douglaston. “Let’s ROK the world together!”
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