Top Three Asian Fried Chicken in LA: Filipino, Korean and South Indian

 (Gerry Furth-Sides) “Fried Chicken” in any language means an instant favorite. Fried chicken continues to be one of the top five most popular dishes in almost any country that serves it. And what’s not to like in any form of it, from buttermilk coated to extra spicy battered?

Start with what Anthony Bourdain once described as the “whackiest, jolliest place on Earth,”  Jollibee from the Philippines, and work up to the royal versions at Chicken Troopers and Banana Leaf. Jollibee’s also has the friendliest, smartest staff that makes you feel like a regular the first time in the store as fast-paced as the business McDonald’s ever was.

Known for its Chickenjoy fried chicken and Jollibee Chicken Sandwich since it opened, the new DTLA store is at 729 West 7th Street in DTLA. It is right across the 7th Street/Metro Center Station and The Bloc.  This is Jollibee’s 28^th store in California and the 57^th in the U.S.  

• Chickenjoy: Jollibee’s flagship product, Chickenjoy, is delicately hand-breaded to be crispy on the outside, cooked with precision to be juicy on the inside, and marinated to the bone for next-level flavor.
• Spicy Chickenjoy: Another top-seller is Spicy Chickenjoy which is the fiery version of the classic Chickenjoy.
• Jollibee Chicken Sandwich: This sandwich features a crispy, juicy chicken breast fillet, spread with umami mayo, and served on a toasted brioche bun. Find out why this newly launched sandwich shot to the top of the menu charts.
• Spicy Jollibee Chicken Sandwich: A spicy version of the original chicken sandwich features a sriracha mayo and fresh jalapeños for added crunch and heat.
• Peach Mango Pie: Make sure to leave room for this mouth-watering dessert made with peaches and real Philippine mangoes enveloped in a light and crispy crust.
• Filipino adobo Rice! We finally Typically a Filipino mix of vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and soy sauce, Jollibee’s adds small bits of pork for added texture.

One of the largest companies in the world, California also is home to Jollibee’s first U.S. location opened 1998 in Daly City. To learn more about Jollibee Group, visit www.jollibeegroup.com.

Jollibee’s new DTLA location will be open seven days a week, from 9AM – 9PM daily. Customers can dine or pick up at the restaurant or have food delivered. Orders go through Jollibee’s new app. Details can be found the jollibeefoods.com website. 

Jollibee’s, 729 West 7th Street (DTLA) 3821 Beverly Blvd. (East Hollywood) and 2700 Colorado Blvd. (Eagle Rock). 

Korean Chicken Troopers stands out with the crispest, most perfectly seasoned (heat not spiky pepper) fried chicken meticulously made by Chef-owner Sean An. This chef-owner weaves in all of his innate creative skills and experience for a refined set of dishes. An was executive chef at fine dining restaurants, such as Slow Fish in Los Angeles and Huntington Beach. He also “happened” to cook for officers in the Korean army, the origin of the ingredients not only for spam novelties, but the idea for American fried chicken.  

Read our story at//localfoodeater.com/chicken-trooper-and-how-korean-fried-chicken-became-crazy-popular/

The sauces on the chicken include Traditional Korean Sweet and Spicy; a Special (mouth-watering) Sweet and Spicy with Fresh White Onion & Cilantro and a Spicy BBQ.   Chicken pieces are cut small to get more crunch with each piece. The coleslaw is the best anywhere. Also a must-try is the Army Base Stew (Budae Jjigae) and the Spicy Korean Chicken Stew.

Chicken Troopers, 13302 Rosecrans Ave., Norwalk, California, 562. 219.0593. Hours: Monday – Saturday.  Chickentroopersla.com .

At Banana Leaf in Culver City, Chicken Majestic adds color to the mix. The dish starts with top of the line protein for this refined version of fried chicken. Then the chicken is coated in a tangy yogurt based sauce with a carefully thought out combination of spices. Cumin, coriander, garam masala are classic. Ribbons of red and green pepper are sautéed just enough so that they are tender and still have a crunch.

Double textures kick in from the very first bite with the oh-so-lightly crispy chicken that’s tender and juicy inside.  Look closely and you will see that the chicken strips are first marinated and then fried. The final step is to saute them in a special sauce.

Look closely and you will see that the chicken strips are first marinated and then fried. The final step is to saute them in a special sauce. sauce.

Chicken Majestic, a wildly popular regional dish from Hyderabad in the Andhra Pradesh state. Southern dishes tend to be more spicy than in the north but Chicken Majestic has more heat than prickly spice shards.

Chicken 65, so beloved that there are numerous variations. In fact, each South Indian state has its own version! Although all are commonly served with hot, red chutneys, in Karnataka, the dish is garnished with grated coconut, and in Andhra Pradesh, the chicken is cooked instead of fried.

Chicken 65, the now classic poultry dish, originated in Chennai, India. The deep-fried chicken marinated in ginger, lemon, red chiles also includes a variety of other spices. There are a few theories about the origin of chicken 65. The most authentic one traces it to the Buhari Hotel in Tamil Nadu where A. M. Buhari created it in 1965.

Another one says that the original dish was made with 65 hot chili peppers, as a testament of manliness. There are also some unlikely theories, such as the one claiming that the chicken was cut into 65 pieces, or that the chicken was 65 days old when the dish was prepared.

Read more details: //localfoodeater.com/tag/indian-fried-chicken/

Banana Leaf,  10408 Venice Blvd Suite: B, Culver City, CA, 90232, (SW corner of Venice & Motor, (310) 838-2130 (www.bananaleafla.com)