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Pikunico – Japanese Fried Chicken Done Right

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Jonathan Gold cast Kuniko Yagi into the spotlight when he reviewed Hinoki and the Bird in 2013. Soon after their Kaiseki-style pan-Asian cuisine restaurant made it into Jonathan Gold’s top 101 restaurants in LA. Yagi left Hinoki and the Bird and recently opened Pikunico in DTLA.

Pikunico
Pikunico on Dock Street
North Dock Street inside Row DTLA

I had Pikunico’s address but didn’t realize that they were inside DTLA Row. Visitors must park in the structure located at 777 Alameda St. and walk north on DTLA Row’s “Dock Street” until it meets up with Alameda. Pikunico is on the west side of “Dock Street”.

Pikunico is a fast casual restaurant, highlighting Yagi’s version of Japanese fried kara-age chicken. The menu focuses on free-range chicken served in sandwiches, and rice bowls. Both breast and dark meat are available including a side of fries or ginger onigiri.

Pikunico Slaw
Pikunico Slaw

The Pikunico Slaw contains chopped cabbage, kale, red onion, and tossed with a sesame vinaigrette. I didn’t have high hopes for this salad, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was quite tasty. The salad is best eaten fresh as the leftover I took home ended up to be a bit soggy.

Pikunico
Pikunico’s Golden Chicken Sandwich

Turmeric is a spice that I did not expect to find here and I was delighted with the Golden Chicken Sandwich. The color of the bun led to the name. Fried chicken is paired with pickled daikon, watercress, alfalfa sprouts, lemon aioli, jalapeno and miso jam on a turmeric bun. The pickled daikon gave it a nice crunch with a burst of sweet and sour flavor.

Pikunico
Mixed fried chicken with house-made assorted pickles, daikon ponzu oroshi, lemon aioli, and parsley sesame sauce.

The “mix basket” consists of 1 thigh, 2 tenders, and 1 whole wing. The chicken was both crispy and moist inside. House-made assorted pickles, daikon ponzu oroshi, lemon aioli, and parsley sesame sauce accompanied the basket. While the onigiri didn’t have a filling, I enjoyed the mild ginger rice flavor and the crisp nori.

Beverages available include ginger beer, Mexican coke, organic teas, and sparkling water. The house-made “uzu ade” resembled a Japanese version of lemonade. On their menu, it stated that “beer and wine are coming soon”.

Pikunico, 777 Alhambra Ave. Los Angeles, CA; 213.278.0407
(inside Row DTLA)
pikunico.com