Chicken rules the roost at Izakaya Danji

If travel to Japan is out of the question, Izakaya Danji offers in one sitting a whirlwind tour of Kyushu island, introducing specialties of Miya­zaki, Oita and Fukuoka prefectures.

None of it will be new to those who frequent izakaya. Many of those establishments have long adopted Kyushu classics as their own, from the chicken nanban of Miyazaki to the fried chicken of Oita, described on the menu as the “birthplace of deep-fried chicken karaage.”

The restaurant is in a new building that has sprung up next to Auntie Pasto’s, near the corner of Pensacola and Beretania streets. Until recently, the lot was occupied by a small private home, one of the few holdouts in an area full of commercial development.

It’s a pleasant and casual space, with a woody interior that includes wood beams reminiscent of Japan farmhouses. But on an initial visit I felt uncomfortable in one of its few open-backed wooden booths, at a table chosen by friends. As a recent theft victim familiar with the many horror stories shared by others on the Stolen Stuff Hawaii Facebook page, I worry about leaving my purse in a place where its contents could be easily lifted by the person sitting behind me.

On a return visit, I opted for one of the open tables, where I had a better sense of who was coming near me and could relax and focus more on enjoying the food than guarding my belongings.

At Danji, chicken is the star of the menu, particularly the fried half chicken ($12.50) dredged in potato starch instead of wheat flour, making it ideal for the gluten-averse, and offering a beautiful crisp for the rest of us. A staffer will cut the chicken with scissors into bite-size pieces at the table.

Those accustomed to a lot of sauce and seasoning will likely find it plain, but salt and pepper are available on the table if you should need them.

Sauce lovers might want to skip over to chicken wings (three pieces for $5.99) with your choice of salt and pepper seasoning, the mild spice of Korean and Japanese chilies, or with a sweet soy sauce. The latter was like candy, in a good way. You can order the three wings all three ways, or pick one flavor.

A third way to enjoy chicken is via a pupu of chicken stir-fried with vegetables and the spicy citrus condiment yuzukosho ($13.75).

The only chicken dish I didn’t enjoy was the nanban ($10.25) because I found the batter shell too thick and solid. I’ve heard other locals say they find tartar sauce served with vinegared chicken odd, but it’s an example of Japan’s yoshoku (Western food) tradition, in this case inspired by the Portuguese and French.

For the fry minus chicken, there’s sweet fishcake in a nori tempura batter ($4.25).

Check the menu of daily specials to start. You’ll find a range from sashimi to cooked selections such as broiled chashu pork with ponzu sauce ($7.95), simmered chicken and daikon ($4.50) or salmon fried rice ($9). If the fried rice is unavailable, there’s always the restaurant’s fried rice with spicy pickled mustard leaf ($8.50), a crowd-pleasing comfort dish.

A stir-fry of veggies and ramen ($12.50) is another favorite carb option.

Another specialty here is Hakata-style tan-tan spicy gyoza hot pot ($18). The pork-chicken broth had less of the sesame flavor that most local diners expect, but after some initial disappointment, everyone at the table came to enjoy it for what it was.

A Fukuoka-style chicken hot pot ($18) will be introduced soon. Diners who like to eat clean will look forward to this mizutaki-style, or water-based stew.

The drink list includes Chu-Hi, potato shochu by the glass or bottle, and a small handful of sake, wine and beer selections.

Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.