Have you ever had a powerful Chicken Katsu craving? Despite its popularity and being a staple in Japanese and Hawaiian cuisine, sometimes it can feel hard to know where to find it in Orlando. It’s one of my favorite breaded indulgences because it hits many taste sensories. Salty, crunchy, and hopefully tender. If it’s something you haven’t had before, you can expect chicken coated in crispy panko breadcrumbs and then deep-fried to golden perfection. It’s often served with a tangy tonkatsu sauce (which I prefer, but some may decide not to use) and can come as a platter with sides, a sandwich, and sometimes even with a curry. If that sounds like something you want to try, I recommend these five spots around Orlando (and its suburbs).

Over Rice

There are multiple Overrice locations, but I get this chicken katsu from the Lee Rd brick-and-mortar location. This Boneless "HALAL" panko-crusted chicken thigh is fried until golden and served Hawaiian style with Jasmine rice and ono mac. I get this pretty regularly, and it is always perfectly crispy and satisfying.

Sushi Tomi

Sushi Tomi has been a hidden-in-plain-sight gem over John Young Parkway in South Orlando for years. While I love their authentic setting and sushi, they have other menu offerings, including a delicious chicken katsu plate. This one comes with rice, but it’s a good portion size. You can also get chicken katsu with curry and have protein options besides chicken.

Boba Queen

Boba Queen off W. Colonial serves good boba drinks but is also one of the few boba spots with heartier snacks, including onigiri, Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken, and katsu sandos. Everything is made to order, and this particular sandwich came out hot and glistening. Please don't sleep on it!

Meng’s Kitchen

Meng’s Kitchen inside the iFresh Supermarket off Colonial is pure comfort. The first couple of times I went, I stuck with the Five Spice Roasted Chicken and the Tom Kha Gai. I quickly added the Chicken Katsu Curry into my rotation. Their menu is full of heavy hitters. No matter what you order, I think you will be happy.

Sweet and Salty Island Grindz

This stall is located inside Henry’s Depot in Sanford. They serve up traditional Hawaiian BBQ and Pacific Islander cuisine. Included among the dishes of Hulul Hulu Chicken and Kalua Pork you can find a huge Butter Chicken Katsu. What really sets this sammy off is the addition of mac salad on top giving you the beautiful texture combination of salty, crunchy, with savory and creamy.