Top Restaurant

Top Restaurant in Pasadena Serves the Best Indonesian Fried Chicken | Eater LA

"At this 35-year-old takeout spot in Pasadena, I watched chef-owner Riko Yuriko make literal magic as he drops chicken into a low-sputtering fryer and a constellation of oil droplets erupts; the generous pieces, marinated 12 hours in a homemade brine of kecap manis, garlic, and other secret ingredients, crackle and brown into a thin, flaky coat. The fried chicken yields tender, glistening meat with deep ridges in crunchy, honeyed skin designed to catch rivulets of the sweet dipping sauce, and it’s so popular it often sells out—only 45 orders are available each day. Takeout-only since the pandemic, many diners eat in their cars, and regulars—from nearby hospital workers and car salesmen to long commuters—call in as soon as Top opens at 11 a.m. Since Yuriko and his partner Juk Ten took over in 2016 from previous owner Eka Gumlia, they’ve evolved the menu to pair Indonesian staples (nasi goreng—made with chopped noodles and recommended with a bright chile sauce of Thai orange peppers—oseng-oseng, pempek, beef rendang, sop buntut) with Hawaiian plates (Spam musubi, kalua pork with creamy mac salad). They test new dishes within their small community until they’re satisfied, aim to have meals ready in about 20 minutes, and became known after 2020 for big portions that stretch a family’s dollar. Yuriko commutes 90 minutes from Rowland Heights each morning, his wife Lily and sister Fang Fang help during rushes and often remember customers by name, and Yuriko says, “We fixed [the recipe] so that it’s completely perfect,” as he hopes to preserve Top Restaurant’s legacy of soul-warming Indonesian and Hawaiian comfort food and eventually open a larger location." - Lisa Kwon