Dawna NolanSo what, exactly, does Lexus taste like? According to owner of LA Chicken, Masamichi Kiyomiya, it's obvious: “Lexus is the most expensive luxury car imported from Japan.” He says a customer told him, “…you're like the Japanese Pollo Loco, man.” Kiyomiya was tickled by the idea, and his crazy chicken/Lexus campaign was off and running.
Kiyomiya says LA Chicken is special because of the way they season it before they grill it– with a dry spice rub–and because of their “secret sauce.” He'd admit to rice vinegar, red miso and chilis being ingredients, but the rest is a closely-guarded secret. You can order the grilled chicken in a taco, a burrito, a bowl, or on a skewer, and the skewers are under a dollar. You can also order pieces of chicken with sides like black beans, rice, macaroni salad, and potato salad.
A crazy Japanese taco.; Credit: Dawna Nolan
So does it really taste like Lexus? Maybe, maybe not, but for the price, which is substantially less than a luxury car, it's worth a try. The rest of their eclectic menu is available on their website.
LA Chicken, 228 E 1st St, L.A., (213) 808-1013
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