Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

[DKP]

- Zippy's (everywhere) = suck. too crispy, dry, sauce seems like packaged

- L&L (everywhere) = not bad for the price. juicy, sauce isn't bad either

- Senoya's (S. King) = ok, not worth the hype, but better than the first two

- Loco Moco (everywhere) = better than L&L, not as good as Senoya's

- Taiyo Noodle (next to Blockbuster, Pi'ikoi) = ding ding ding...winner. sweet, mouth watering chicken and sauce. nice array of veggies, not too much. add their award-winning (my own award) kim chee and gyoza, and it's a multi-flavor multi-orgy for the mouth. plus they give free calendars to everyone 18 and over ...and free shirts to me cuz I'm core

Any others worth mentioning?

[1stwahine]

Re: Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

DKP, You made me SMILE and Giggle so LOUD! I'll go this week and try.

You're great at promoting!

Auntie Lynn

[DKP]

Re: Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

No probs Auntie. The reason I started going there was it was close to where I worked at the time (Ala's), and it's affordable. I'm kind of short and slim, and 1 plate lasts two meals for me. THAT is the best thing about it.

My girl loves the Seafood Ramen (spicy or mild).

[Pomai]

Re: Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

Coco Ichibanya Curry House, altough rather "commercial", is pretty darned good.

They're that loud yellow (color-wise) place found in various strip malls and food courts around Oahu (and all over Japan). We usually go to the one in McCully Shopping Center.

As Reid mentions in that review, the Japanese style curry offered here is less spicy and more sweet, but there's still plenty of depth and a unique character to it. At Coco Ichibanya it's actually more of a sauce (there's no large pieces of vegetables or meats in it) intended to flavor various deep-fried entrees and toppings. Served with a portion of white rice and Fukujinzuke (soy-marinated vegetables).

As KDP points out, what is just as important as the curry is the quality of the chicken katsu underneath it all. This is where Coco Ichibanya excels, as the panko breading is very light and crispy, while the chicken is moist and tender. Quite simply Katsu done the way it should be. I have yet to try their Tonkotsu version (pork), which I'm sure is just as oishii.

If you order take-out, they put each item in a unique container that separates everything in individual compartments, so when you eat it the Katsu is still crunchy. At about $6, it's a good value.

[Lei Liko]

Re: Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

Hokkaido Ramen along Harding Ave. in Kaimuki (right by Territorial Savings) has the best Chicken Katsu Curry, IMO.

I'm a big fan of Curry House as well, but Hokkaido Ramen's curry has a distinct flavor to it. A mini plate (which is just right for me) runs you about $4.25. Their Mochiko Chicken Curry is really good, too.

[Mmm]

Re: Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

Does anyone know of any place that serves Katsu with chicken breasts instead of thighs (with or without curry)?

[helen]

Re: Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

When it comes to boneless chicken I can't tell the difference between thighs or breast. I take it you already tried places like L&L or Zippys. How's about Graces (on South King next to a Times Supermarket, I don't if their other location at Market City is still there or not), Mahalo Drive Inn (on Young Street) and/or AAA BBQ (located on the Don Quijote food court), did you try those locations before?

[dick]

Re: Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

I like Coco Ichiban Ya myself. Usually the chicken is good, and I like the curry. You can custom order the amount of rice you want, spicyness of the curry, and pick from a variety of toppings.

Worst I've ever had was at Ezogiku across from Puck's Alley. The curry itself is okay, but the "chicken katsu," if you could even call it that, was more like fried skin. Very little, if any, meat in it. I was pissed. And it isn't cheap -- something like $7 or $8. I will never again step foot in that place.

[zff]

Re: Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

Sumo Ramen in Kaneohe makes a killer mochiko chicken curry. It's not katsu curry, but close, and a lot better.

[jkpescador]

Re: Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

Ichi-Ryu.
Corner of Pensacola and King.
Huge portions.

[scrivener]

Re: Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

Sanoya's (S. King) = ok, not worth the hype, but better than the first two

Late hours are really the draw here, but expect some of the worst service on the island!

Loco Moco (everywhere) = better than L&L, not as good as Sanoya's

I'll agree with this assessment, but man...the curry is lousy. Huge, tough chunks of beef swimming in a floury curry. Bleah.

Taiyo Noodle (next to Blockbuster, Pi'ikoi) = ding ding ding...winner. sweet, mouth watering chicken and sauce. nice array of veggies, not too much. add their award-winning (my own award) kim chee and gyoza, and it's a multi-flavor multi-orgy for the mouth. plus they give free calendars to everyone 18 and over ...and free shirts to me cuz I'm core

Good curry AND good katsu. Late hours a huge plus. Gigantic LCD television a huge minus. Cute female Korean clientele an enormous plus. Lousy parking (except late) an enormous minus.

Coco Ichibanya Curry House, although rather "commercial", is pretty darned good.

I agree. I like Japanese-style curry, and I think this is really the best of what's available on the island (though to be fair, I haven't tried Hokkaido, and now I've got to!). CoCo Ichibanya really pays attention to the stuff it puts alongside its curry; the potato croquettes are awesome, the fried chicken (the best thing they have) is delicious. The katsu's pretty good.

Worst I've ever had was at Ezogiku across from Puck's Alley. The curry itself is okay, but the "chicken katsu," if you could even call it that, was more like fried skin. Very little, if any, meat in it. I was pissed. And it isn't cheap -- something like $7 or $8. I will never again step foot in that place.

I used to work at another Ezogiku location, and let me just say that the curry is not a reason to eat there. When I worked there, katsu curry had just been added to the menu and I thought it was great; it was tonkatsu, though. I haven't tried the chicken katsu, which wasn't offered when I worked there. Ezogiku's ramen is great, though; the noodles are average, but Ezogiku's got the best shiru on the island. There was a time when it was the only decent ramen you could get anywhere in the state.

Sumo Ramen in Kaneohe makes a killer mochiko chicken curry. It's not katsu curry, but close, and a lot better.

The curry's okay, but yes. The mochiko chicken is pretty good. Stay away from the katsu, which kinda sucks. Several locations on the island.

Ichi-Ryu.
Corner of Pensacola and King.
Huge portions.

Pretty good ramen, too, and the people who eat there and the people who work there are friendly.

I'm going to add Tai Sei to the list. It's on Beretania, across the police station. The people who work there are super-nice, and the katsu curry is pretty good. However, if you're into ramen (and ramen is almost a religion for me), and it's your first (or second, or third) time there, you really gotta have some noodles. Tai Sei makes its noodles on the premises. The noodles are fresh, with a terrific mouth-feel. So get your favorite ramen order first. Then, on your next visit, try the cold noodle dish, which is mind-blowingly good. THEN try the katsu curry.

[dyasu]

Re: Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

I rather like Coco Ichiban (Curry House) as well. I find their chicken katsu is well cooked so it retains its moisture but with a crisp exterior. The curry sauce used at Coco Ichiban is very tasty, and is a thinner style that I prefer.

[cezanne]

Re: Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

Gosh I didn't know Chicken Katsu Curry was such a common dish. I thought it was some restaurant's gimmick plate or something: You like curry? You like katsu? Guess what? .....

[Mike_Lowery]

Re: Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

Ezogiku was great to me (although I'm biased, because I worked there in college and ate it for free every night. Whatchu know 'bout the senior 60?).

Didn't know you worked there too, scriv.

[scrivener]

Re: Best Chicken Katsu Curry?

Yeah, well. My mom was the manager of one of the other locations. That was in the mid-eighties.

With so much katsu curry on the mind, I had to hit Ayame Ramen in Kaneohe for dinner after work tonight. The katsu's pretty meaty, but I thought it was left in the fryer just a little too long. Also, it is my humble opinion that only fine panko should be used for chicken katsu; most places use a medium or course panko. I guess I can live with that.

The curry is a deep, dark red, much like at CoCo Ichibanya. A little on the mild, slightly bland side, but still good.