In one of my earlier posts, I shared about Nakamise Shopping Street and the snacks we tried while wandering around Sensoji Temple. But that wasn’t the full list. There were a few more food spots in the area that I deliberately left out, simply because I felt they deserved their own posts. These are the street snacks that actually live up to the hype and are worth queuing for. So today, let’s talk about Asakusa Anshinya, which specialises in Taiwanese fried chicken cutlets. Go all the way to Japan and eat Taiwanese food? Why not, if it’s good! Haha.
The Queue at Asakusa Anshinya Looks Worse Than It Is
There’s a staff member doing crowd control, and the queue moves in an orderly manner. It looked long, but it moved relatively fast. They must be frying furiously inside the shop.
What’s on the Asakusa Anshinya Menu
Asakusa Anshinya only sells two types of fried chicken cutlets:
- Non-spicy – ¥700 per portion
- Spicy – ¥700 per portion
- Bite-size chicken – ¥500 per portion, for smaller appetites or if you don’t think you can finish a whole big cutlet on your own
We went for a regular non-spicy one to share.
Is the Asakusa Anshinya Chicken Cutlet Worth It?
It was very big in size. Bigger than my face, no exaggeration. It’s like a butterflied chicken breast, pounded flat and deep-fried. In terms of thickness, I felt it wasn’t as thick as some of the cutlets I’ve had in Taiwan, but that’s not a big deal.
Ours came from a freshly fried batch. Hot, crispy and crunchy on the outside, yet tender and moist inside, even though it’s breast meat. The coating is tasty with a lot of flavour. Definitely one of the best Taiwanese-style fried chicken cutlets I’ve had.
Good to Know Before You Go
- Takeaway spot with a few standing high tables, so be prepared to eat while standing. Better to eat on the spot while it’s hot and fresh.
- Opening hours are 10am to 4.30pm daily, but they close early whenever sold out. Come earlier to avoid disappointment.
- Cash only. No credit cards, so bring yen.
