Sharing its space with Japanese BBQ and steak joint Renga-Ya, Kindori can be easy to miss at first. But double back and you’ll find a charming beer garden in the alfresco area outside, complete with fairy lights and candles to complete the mood. Their offerings are pretty straightforward—Japanese fried chicken and craft beers, which is perfect if that’s exactly what you’re in the mood for.
Moving away from plain old Japanese karaage, Kindori aims to showcase Japanese culinary styles beyond boneless chicken parts. Hence they use only fresh kampong chicken, and utilise all the parts from the wing ($9) down to the Crunchy Soft Bone ($6), an addictive snack to pop between bites. Depending on your crew, choose between a Full Bird ($29 for eight pieces) and a Half Bird ($16 for four pieces); each comes with crispy chicken gloriously fried to a perfect gold—which is what ‘kindori’ means in Japanese. With every order of fried chicken, you get three complimentary house-made sauces that include Kare Curry, Wasabi Cream and Tangy Miso.
Chijmes has no lack of watering holes, but Kindori stands out for its dedicated list of smooth, light Japanese craft beers. Boasting just shy of 30 different types of Japanese beers, the selection is definitely sufficient. Hitachino is a safe brand you’ve probably seen before (you’ll recognise it from its signature owl on the label)—from that the Yuzu Saison ($15), Craft Lager ($13) and Red Rice Ale ($15) made with Japanese red rice are tasty, easy-drinking brews. Also worth a try is the crisp Kagua Blanc Yuzu ($18); though our pick for most refreshing drink is the Mitsuboshi Pale Ale ($15), a traditional English-style ale that will quench your fried chicken-induced thirst and carry you through the entire meal.
