"In 2013, Elaine and Kouji Yamanashi opened the original Tokyo Fried Chicken in Monterey Park, establishing itself as a San Gabriel Valley favorite with diners lining up nightly for creamy curried corn, soy-glazed yams, dashi-braised collard greens, and savory fried chicken skin. The shop’s signature thighs, wings, drums, and tenders are brined in soy, ginger, and garlic before hitting the deep fryer. Whatever one’s preferred piece, the gratifying crunch of kaarage is always front and center. For the past year, Tokyo Fried Chicken has been operating out of a modern and sleek shop on Olive Avenue and Eighth Street adjacent to Whole Foods and the Freehand hotel. (The Yamanashis closed the SGV shop in 2023 as the building required costly repairs.) The menu is mostly the same with a few new items like the delightful sour cream onion dip served with housemade potato chips. The crowd-pleasing and custardy mac and cheese is rightfully popular, while the banana pudding is deeply smooth with its roasted soybean flour, kuromitsu sugar syrup, and Nilla wafers. — Mona Holmes, reporter" - Eater Staff
