When is the last time you heard an endorsement this unequivocal: "My whole family loved it sooo much. Not too garlicky, not too sweet, not too salty, but perfect and extremely delicious."

The citizen food critic is Ronald Higa, and the dish of which he speaks is the garlic chicken from Da Kitchen on Isenberg Street in Moiliili.

Actually, the dish hails from Maui, where Da Kitchen has two locations, in Kihei and Kahului, opened in 1998 and 2000, respectively. Garlic chicken is on the Maui menus daily. The Oahu outpost opened in 2010 and serves the chicken only as a special.

All the more reason to learn to cook it yourself.

Mariah Brown and Les Tomita are partners in Da Kitchen, with Tomita in the kitchen and Brown handling service. Their mission is to provide plate lunch favorites scooped up in big portions. Really big. This recipe makes enough for four, but Brown said at Da Kitchen it would serve just two.

"Our food is huge," Brown said. "That’s what we’re known for. That’s why everybody likes us."

Before you start, make sure you’re not at the bottom of your cornstarch box. This recipe takes 6 ounces, which is more than a third of a 1-pound box. Considering this is a commodity normally used by the tablespoon, you may not have checked your stock recently. Follow the directions for sprinkling it over the chicken, fry carefully and you’ll understand why Higa has such love for these chicken nuggets.

As Brown says, "It’s just yummy."

One caveat: Higa says the dish was not too garlicky, but in my test of this recipe, the garlic flavor was quite in-your-face. Pungency is often a function of the freshness of your cloves, so make adjustments to your taste.

DA KITCHEN GARLIC CHICKEN

1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (organic preferred)
2 tablespoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 egg, beaten
6 ounces (about 1 cup) cornstarch
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 stalks green onion, diced, for garnish
Sesame seeds, for garnish

» Garlic sauce:
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce (Kikkoman preferred)
1 teaspoon fresh orange juice
1 small head garlic, minced (a little more than 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

Cut chicken into bite-size cubes. In pot, heat oil to 350 degrees.

Place chicken in mixing bowl and sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Add egg; stir to mix. Measure cornstarch into separate bowl. Sprinkle cornstarch over chicken with one hand; use the other hand to turn chicken so pieces are evenly coated. Mixture will become thick and sticky, but keep sprinkling and mixing. Pieces will become drier and less sticky as you add more cornstarch.

Deep-fry in batches about 4-1/2 minutes, until light brown and cooked through. Shake off excess oil and drain pieces on paper towels.

To make sauce: Combine all ingredients except cornstarch in pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Gradually add cornstarch-water mixture, stirring until sauce thickens. Makes about 1 cup.

Toss chicken in garlic sauce (if the garlic taste is too strong for you, don’t use all the sauce). Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including sesame seeds for garnish): 800 calories, 45 g total fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 200 mg cholesterol, 2,500 mg sodium, 60 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 13 g sugar, 38 g protein

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Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S. Write "By Request," Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813; or email bshimabukuro@staradvertiser.com.