Eat This Now: Taiwanese Fried Chicken at Chewology

Chewology // Photo by Sarah Sipple

Chewology is nestled on a small corner in Westport, blending contemporary Taiwanese dishes with the Midwestern ideology of supporting local and sustainable ingredients. The atmosphere, price point, and menu rest at the sweet spot of being comfortable for a casual, after-work pop-in for a drink and small plate while also being a special-occasion restaurant that one would book weeks in advance.

This particular visit was one of those casual pop-ins, and on this frigid Monday, the service was as warm and welcoming as ever. Let’s dig in.

Smoked Salmon Spring Rolls at Chewology // Photo by Sarah Sipple

To start, the Smoked Salmon Spring Rolls ($12) are best when shared and dipped in umeboshi duck sauce. I haven’t seen this dish anywhere else in KC. About the size of a cigar, the thin and crispy wrappers are filled with smoked salmon and cream cheese, plus green onion and chile. The filling is so fine and well mixed that each bite was uniform and perfectly smoky.

For a sharable protein, the Taiwanese Fried Chicken ($12) is poppable and satisfying with or without the optional mayo dip. This chicken dish has a light but crispy breading of sweet potato starch and soy, seasoned with five-spice and basil. The five-spice blend (usually meaning fennel, star anise, cassia bark, clove, and Sichuan peppercorns) dominates the scent and flavor but does not overpower the dish. Diners sensitive to spicy foods should not be alarmed, this is a mild dish.  

Taiwanese Fried Chicken at Chewology // Photo by Sarah Sipple

Two of my other go-to’s at Chewology include the Veggie Dumplings ($13) and Tofu Bao ($8). The Veggie Dumplings are easy to share since an order comes with four or five, and are filled with bok choy, carrot, taro, shiitake mushrooms, tofu, and ginger. Tofu Bao is a filling handheld securing fried local tofu with a sweet sesame glaze, plus alliums and cilantro. Both dishes are warm, chewy, and savory with a hint of sweetness. 

Update: After sending this story to print for our February magazine, it was announced that Chewology’s chef and owner, Katie Liu-Sung, was nominated as James Beard Award Best Chef for this region. Congratulations on the nomination!

Chewology is at 900 Westport Rd, Kansas City, MO 64111.