David Chang Unleashes Fuku, His Spicy Chicken Sandwich Spot

The Momofuku man himself David Chang is unleashing his spicy fried chicken sandwich concept Fuku on unsuspecting New Yorkers and rabid fans today at 11 a.m. Fuku, of course, is Chang's entrance into the brave new world of fast casual chaindom — from here he plans an expansion of Shake Shack level proportions, though how quickly that will happen is unknown. For now, he's operating out of the old Ko space, which is about to see a line longer than anything you've ever had to wait in for Momofuku Noodle Bar.

To get things started, there's just one $8 sandwich made with chicken thighs that are marinated in habanero puree and buttermilk, dredged in spices, and deep fried. Those thighs along with pickles are sandwiched into a squishy steamed Martin's potato roll that's slathered with fermented chickpea flavored butter. The spice factor is mandatory here. "I want people who don't eat spicy food to say, ‘That's fucking spicy but I'll eat it and pay the price later,'" says Chang. There are also fries and booze to go with the sandwiches, and a salad, which Chang says is "the healthy option that I don't anticipate anyone ever really ordering."

Other sandwiches like cordon bleu chicken sandwich with Benton's ham and Swiss are already in development. After all, this is just a test run for Chang's world chicken domination plan.