Chi-Kin set to open in Horizon West

A new Korean fried chicken concept will be joining the Horizon West community next month.

Owner Hoi Nguyen will open the second Chi-Kin location in the spot previously occupied by BurgerFi at 5845 Winter Garden-Vineland Road, Suite 100, in the Windermere Village Plaza, adjacent to Windermere High School.

The 2,200-square-foot suite will maintain its kitchen and dining room layout, although the space will undergo cosmetic improvements.

Chi-Kin makes everything in-house from scratch, including the flour, sides and sauces. 

Each piece of chicken is double-fried, and the menu includes options such as chicken wings and tenders, bulgogi waffle fries, Bibim Bowls, and the Chi-Kin Sammy. The eatery also caters to all dietary preferences, offering an array of vegan and vegetarian-friendly options. 

The location will start with only serving beer and wine, but in the future, Nguyen hopes to turn the spot into a Korean sports bar.

“We’re focusing on bringing good food and our brand to the community,” he said. “We’re lucky and blessed to have good partners that work with us. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them; it’s a collective effort. It takes more than just one person to run a restaurant.”

Nguyen was born and raised in Orlando and grew up in the restaurant business through his family.

He started working in restaurants when he was only 15 years old, and he worked with his uncle at Chinese restaurants, where he learned what it takes to properly run a business.

Photo by Annabelle Sikes

Nguyen and his brother, Vic Nguyen, opened their first restaurant, a Japanese concept, around 2008 in Palm Coast.

Although the initial concept failed, Hoi Nguyen said it was the biggest learning experience, and it helped to guide the way for his future restaurant operations. 

After the failure, the brothers initially decided not to open any more restaurants.

Over the years, Hoi Nguyen and his wife, Sydney Nguyen, have had myriad businesses, including a dry cleaner, barbershop, vape shop and manufacturing for electronic cigarettes.

However, when Vic Nguyen moved back to Orlando from Virginia, the brothers decided to take another chance in the restaurant business, and they opened King Bao in 2016 off Mills Avenue.

Hoi Nguyen then handed off the brand to his brother, who opened two more King Bao locations.

Hoi and Sydney Nguyen love to eat, and they travel around the world searching for the best food spots.

A convention trip to Hawaii led them to the idea for their next business venture. In Hawaii, they tasted the poke from the area and said it was the best they had ever had. 

When Hoi Nguyen came back to Orlando, he worked with an old friend and employee from the Palm Coast eatery, Aiy Saysavanh, to open the first Poke Hana location in 2018 on Colonial Drive near Mills Avenue. The second Poke Hana location opened in 2020, also in the Windermere Village shopping center.

About a year or two after that, Hoi and Sydney Nguyen began to see Korean fried chicken gaining popularity, so they decided to open their own concept. The first Chi-Kin opened in 2019 on Mills Avenue.

Only a few weeks ago, Hoi Nguyen also opened a new addition to the restaurant called Side-Chik, a Korean-Mexican eatery.

A NEW HOME

Owning another food concept in the Windermere Village Plaza, Hoi Nguyen said he has maintained a good relationship with the landlord, and he has been trying to get another unit in the plaza for the last three years.

“We saw the community in the Windermere area as being very close-knit,” Hoi Nguyen said. “Once they see good-quality food, it seems to spread like wildfire.”

The Horizon West Chi-Kin, which also is in partnership with Saysavanh, is planned to open around the second week of October. 

For those who will try Chi-Kin for the first time, Hoi Nguyen recommends trying the wings coated in the sweet gochujang sauce, as well as the bulgogi beef fries, which are waffle fries topped with marinated beef, spicy mayo, sesame and scallions.

“We are so excited to bring Korean fried chicken to the area, but we also hope to be really involved in the community,” Hoi Nguyen said. “We would like to get involved with helping out with different events, such as spirit nights with the local schools and teacher appreciation weeks.”

The new location currently is looking to hire part-time and full-time employees. Those interested in an employment opportunity should reach out by emailing [email protected].