Normally, I’m indifferent to chicken kaarage on a Japanese restaurant menu, but @sakabaigokochi exceptional Chicken Kaarage ($10++) is so good that you need to order at least two portions. No seriously, these gargantuan globs of deep fried chicken are so divinely delicious that I was utterly mesmerised by every juicy bite.⠀
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The large chunks of chicken are deep fried till perfectly cooked, no mean feat considering the size & girth of each piece, yet all of them retain a reservoir of juice within, unleashing all that moisture the minute you bite into it. It’s seasoned simply yet sublimely with salt & white pepper, and each morsel of bird is utterly infused with savouriness. There seems to be a deeper, underlying layer of umami that permeates the chicken and makes it so satisfyingly delicious, and it might have something to do with the marinade these chickens are prepared in. I don’t know what Sakaba Igokichi is putting in the marinade, but they’re definitely doing it right.⠀
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And of course, the batter was breathtaking. A tremendously thin layer of batter coats every cut of chicken, and every bite elicits an audible crunch. The brilliant batter is crunchy, scrumptious and could easily be the gold standard for all fried chicken batter.⠀
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Despite being and sounding relatively simple, Sakaba Igokichi’s captivating Chicken Kaarage is simply spectacular. Instead of chomping on these chickens while you’re guzzling beer or sake, I propose that you pair these robustly flavoured poultry parts with an excellent Japanese whisky, like a Matsui Single Malt.⠀
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Look, we’ll never find out why the chicken crossed the road, but I definitely crossed the road for @sakabaigokochi divine Chicken Kaarage.