Fried Chicken is hot in LA and Angelenos are fortunate to have many different types of fried chicken available. They range from the conventional Honey’s Kettle, Nashville hot fried chicken with Hotville Chicken, and Korean-style fried chicken with Honey Dress Fried Chicken. When Tokyo Fried Chicken introduced Japanese fried chicken, I became interested in trying them.
Fried chicken is not new to the Japanese. Karaage is the Japanese version of chicken nuggets and many non-Japanese may already be familiar with karaage from seeing this as a side dish at ramen restaurants. They are made using boneless chicken thighs so that they remain moist and are often served in bento boxes and at izakaya restaurants.
Owner Kouji Yamanashi frequently ate takeout southern fried chicken during his youth. It was a way for his parents to inexpensively feed four growing kids. Naturally, they ordered sides to make it a balanced meal. He felt compelled to meld the taste and experience between southern fried chicken and karaage and spent two years perfecting his recipes.
During my stay in Monterey Park, I hoped to have all indoor dining experiences to write about. Unfortunately, Tokyo Hot Fried Chicken hadn’t converted to dine-in and was still operating solely as a to-go business. I placed my order and waited in my car for it to be prepared and I was thrilled that my order was ready in 15 minutes.
It wasn’t quite the same experience as I had planned as I took my take-out box back to my hotel. Prior to the pandemic, beer and sake were part of the fried chicken experience. If you have ever been someone needing a bottle opener on travel, I nearly panicked. I was relieved to find a “Las Vegas” bottle opener in my computer bag. My wife gave it to me from a previous trip to Vegas.
I dug into my to-go box and quickly discovered the chicken was nothing short of incredible. The thin breading was crisp and flavorful and I appreciated that it didn’t fall off the chicken as I bit into it. The chicken was extremely juicy and I could taste the soy sauce, ginger, and garlic marinade all the way to the bone. I instantly became a fan of their spicy ponzu sauce and began pouring that over the chicken.
Yamanashi continues his Southern Japanese fusion desire and created some interesting sides. They include Curry Creamed Corn. Soy-Glazed Yams, and Dashi-braised Collard Greens with Bacon, a Japanese spin on southern vegetable dishes. While the Soy-Glazed Yams were recommended, I opted for the Curry Creamed Corn and it was just as I imagined it to be.
If you don’t live nearby, I recommend that you wait for them to re-open their dining room. Their chicken and sides are first-rate and I can’t wait to try the entire in-restaurant pub-like experience.
Tokyo Fried Chicken, 122 S. Atlantic Blvd. Monterey Park, CA 91754; 626.282.9829; tokyfriedchicken.com