Crispy Kitchen

A couple weeks ago, I stopped by Palama Super Market and posted that visit here.  On my way in, I noticed this croquette shop out front, but when I walked up to the window, I was told that almost everything was sold out.  I decided to pay the shop a visit again today.

At the window, I had a peek inside the shop.  On the left you'll see some deep fryers and in the middle of the shop is the prep table.  The shop itself is quite small so I can only assume that when the croquettes are being fried, the shop can get quite hot. 

At first I wanted to try the mini curry ball, but was told that it was sold out.  Next on my list was either the cream corn or butter corn croquettes and those were sold out as well!  My final choices before giving up were the vegetable croquette (US$.89 each) and the hamburger katsu croquette (US$1.39 each).

The vegetable croquette was a mixture of mashed potato and mixed vegetables and was OK by my standards.  The hamburger katsu (menchi) croquette seemed to be your average homemade hamburger patty covered in panko flakes, then deep fried.  This wasn't like the minced meat (menchi) croquettes you find in Japan, but this was fine.  It was served with a packet of tonkatsu sauce.

Inside the hamburger katsu croquette.

All in all the croquettes here are reasonably priced and average tastewise.  These make a great addition to any lunch and I actually had mine with some kim bap (Korean rolled rice or sushi) that I purchased at the food court.  I'll definitely be back to try the cream corn croquettes and the mini curry ball and will update this post at that time.

Crispy Kitchen
Outside Palama Super Market
1670 Makaloa Street
Telephone:  808.447.7788

Comments

[MrsT]

It does look good .. Reid.. :) Too bad you didn't get to try what you actually wanted..! bummer..!

[Kirk]

Reid - I never developed a taste for croquette until I moved to the mainland - I still don't really crave it, though I do like a good menchi katsu, I've actually had a pretty good menchi katsu curry here - but than the ownership of the restaurant changed and they don't have it on the menu anymore....bummer! Come to think of it - the deep-fried corn beef hash at Fukuya is sort of a croquette, hmmmmm, need to rethink this....

[Jo]

I love croquettes. In Spain they are made of ham, salmon, and such. I particularly enjoy the salmon croquettes but you know, I haven't had them in more years than I can count! I like the Korean veggie/potato croquettes here. Wonderfully crispy outside, delicate and savory inside... yummo!!

[boo_licious]

I also love croquettes and the mini curry balls sound so interesting. Can't wait for you to try those and blog about it.

[Makan Kings]

Oooohhhh....the croquettes look good!! Must be quite a popular stall as you didnt get what you intended to buy in the first place

Cheers,
-Makan Kings-

[Jo]

You know, the interior of that hamburger croquette keeps looking better and better every time I see it. I'm going to end up having to try something along those lines...

Maybe ground beef, ground bacon (just a touch) or ground pork, minced onion, touch of garlic... to herb or not to herb? If yes, what would you use? Parsley? Cilantro? Basil? Mint? The coating is panko right?

[Kirk]

Jo - My experience with menchi/michi katsu is that they have alot of filler - and this is not a bad thing, keeps it extremely moist. I've seen them on the menu described as deep fried meatloaf.

I figure just do the ground beef thing - flour, egg wash, and panko....and fry like heck!

[santos]

crispy kitchen is one of the best names for a deep-fried hut, ever.

[Reid]

Hi MrsT,

These were good as stand-bys. I'm hoping to try that mini curry ball soon. It's such a bargain. 4 pieces for 99 cents!

Hi Kirk,

Deep fried corn beef hash at Fukuya? Hmmm. Let me think about going there soon. That sounds really good!

Hi Jo,

I like croquettes too, but my absolute favorites are the Japanese cream corn croquettes. If you haven't tried them before, you really must. They are really good with Japanese curry. Mmmm.

Hi boo_licious!

Thanks for stopping by.

I went back for the mini curry ball twice and it was sold out. I think I need to go earlier, or tell the guy to make more! LOL! When I have them, I'll be sure to post the pics.

Hi Makan Kings,

Yes, I think the stall is popular as most of the items are sold out by lunchtime. I just think the guy needs to cook more! The combination of decent taste and reasonable price is hard to beat.

Hi Jo,

Here's a recipe for menchi katsu that I have. Perhaps you can take this and use your imagination! Is this another baklava story in the making? LOL!

3/4 pound ground beef
1 egg
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon mayonaisse
salt
white pepper
garlic powder

flour
panko
oil
one egg, beaten

Mix together ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, onion and mayonaisse by hand until the mixture comes together in a sticky ball. Season with salt, white pepper and garlic powder to taste.

Roll into balls (determined by how large you want the croquettes to be), then flatten slightly. Dip each "patty" in flour, then in egg, finishing with panko. Fry in vegetable oil until golden brown. Drain well, then serve.

Good luck!

Hi Kirk,

I agree with you there. It's definitely like a deep fried hamburger (or meatloaf).

Hi Santos,

I thought you'd like it. It's almost as good as Mr. Frypan right? =)

[Jo]

eeepp! ::laughing:: This is scary! Reid, did you read MMM-YoSo yet? I didn't use all the pork & beef in the hamburgers. I made another batch, more pork than beef this time, minced ham, egg, Korean soy, onion, and tomorrow I'll add some cold rice... I'm doing a C&P on your version though and saving it for next time! This has just be preying on my mind since you blogged it and I just HAD to do something! Since I had to much meat for the burgers for tonight I just figured I'd get a head start on tomorrow nights dinner!

Are the creamed corn fritters more a restaurant or home item? I would like to give them a try for sure! Mills prolly knows a spot that has them or at least Japanese curry. A future adventure!

[Jo]

Baklachi? Menchava? Trying to come up with a name for the baklava... Ohana Pastry? Ohana Crisp? Ohana Sweet? I may never get to sleep tonight!

[Reid]

Hi Jo,

You can definitely try to make the cream corn croquette at home if you'd like. It is my favorite croquette to eat. You can also add some chopped imitation crab (or real crab meat) instead of the corn (another favorite of mine!). The easiest way for me to describe the croquette is a basic bechamel sauce (butter, flour and cream) combined with canned corn then battered and deep fried. You can try this recipe here.

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 - 1 cup heavy cream, scalded*
1 can corn

*amount of cream can vary

Melt butter in a warm pan until it starts to foam about 2 minutes. Stir in flour being careful not to let the butter brown. Once flour is incorporated into the butter, add in scalded cream and stir until thickened (it should be almost pasty, about 30 - 40 minutes). Remove from heat, then add in canned corn.

Pour mixture into a container and refrigerate until solid (about 30 minutes or so). Remove from refrigerator, then form into balls and flatten slightly. Roll in flour, then egg, then roll in flour again, then egg, then panko.

Deep fry until golden brown, drain well and serve.

Good luck.

As for the name of your baklava venture, I'm sure you'll come up with something! =)

[FatMan Seoul]

Looks good. I'm off to dinner .... can't stand watching all this food.

[Jo]

HEY FatMan! I miss your blog! Nice to know your still out there! =o)

Reid, the bechamel base is the way all the Spanish style croquettes start out as well. I was toying with the notion of adding some to the meat croquetts I'm making tonight but I think the rice will be adequate as a nice filler. I think I'll try the corn croquettes for a side as well. As long as I have the fat hot, might as well make some use of it right? I'm surprised there aren't more spices and herbs! I'm gonna have to add a touch of onion just because. In Spain they say "One could live without onions, but not so well."

As for the name, I want to use "Ohana"... I think. I had a GREAT name about this time yesterday morning. To bad I figured I could write it down later! When will I learn that my mental train never spends time at the station!?!?

[umami]

Hi Reid
I love all croquette variations, surprised that hamburger version is not more commonplace.

[Jo]

So here I am, bechamel came out STUPENDOUS! Could I find a can of creamed corn in the pantry? OOOohh NOOOooo! THAT is FAR to much to ask for! }SCREACH{ ::storms off to the store for creamed corn:: <--Where's the milk?

[Reid]

Hey Fats,

Nice to see you again! What's for dinner?

Hi Jo,

I didn't know that the Spanish ate croquettes. Interesting.

Hi Umami,

Long time no hear! =)

Menchi katsu is not typically found at too many places, why I can't really say. My favorites are cream corn and crab cream. Or should I just say that I like them all, but especially like the creamy ones. =)

Hi Jo,

LOL! =P

You know you should always keep some canned corn in the house. You never know when you're going to feel like eating kurimu korokke.

[Jo]

Yep, croquetts are common in the Euro kitchen, this is what Mirriam Webster says: Etymology: French, from croquer to crunch, of imitative origin
: a small often rounded mass consisting usually of minced meat, fish, or vegetable coated with egg and bread crumbs and deep-fried.
In Spain they are generally shaped into torpedos or inverted cones. I think they are eaten more as a home dish or as a tapa rather than something one would eat in a restaurant. What I know of them is what my father tells me of watching his mother when he was a child. My american grandmother (mother's mother) would also make croquettes but she always used canned salmon. She had a Euro background but she was probably 5th or 6th gen so this food existed for a very long time.

In fact, I never saw fresh salmon till long after coming to California. It was always canned and made into croquettes. I'm rambling huh? Still wiped from yesterday. =o/

[Jo]

Oh yea, I always have canned corn, but whole kernel, not creamed. Can't stand creamed corn.. =oP

[Reid]

Hi Jo,

You should use whole kernel corn in this rather than creamed corn. If you use creamed corn, this won't turn out right. =)

BTW...thanks for the info on croquettes. I kind of thought it was a French word because the Japanese like to take French things and make them their own. Case in point, Japanese breads and pastries.

[Jo]

Why was I thinking it had to be creamed corn? ::runs up to check recipe:: ::returns with a sigh:: "cream" on the top, "cream" on the bottom. Amazing the tricks a brain can play!

ANYway, As for the Menchi Katsu, Yep, it may be the new baklava! I just finished munching some heated up leftovers. That stuff and GREAT! I was dipping it in Heinze 57 and eating it with a bite of "Black Krim" tomato. That was darn near close to heaven! The Krim was picked as the sun was going down so it was still a little warm. ::happy sigh:: As Kirk would say, "Delici-YoSo"!

[Kirk]

Jo - menchi katsu sandwich - I've seen them at Japanese martkets? sounds great!!!

[keiko]

Hi Reid - you are making me homesick again! コロッケ is one of the things I really miss... I just remembered that a fish & chip shop we liked in London was called Master Fryer - how good is it?

[Jo]

::laughing:: Menchi Katsu sandwich? Funny you say that, Mills had lunch over here today and we scarfed down the last of the Menchi and she said the very same thing! Great Minds! P.S. She thinks Pepper is pretty hot! Don't ya Mills? ;o)

[Reid]

Hi Jo,

Now I'm jealous. I think I need to have some menchi katsu soon. Unfortunately, it may not be for a few more days.

Hi Kirk,

Crispy Kitchen has a menchi katsu sandwich. I should have gotten it.

Hi Keiko,

Nice to see you again!

Sorry to make you so homesick. =(

Are you able to find food like this in the UK at all?
BTW...I love korokke too!

Hi Jo,

Pepper? Mills?