View Dining Pick of the Week: Mochiko Chicken

Mochiko Chicken

2101 S. Decatur Blvd., 702-789-7103

How many ways can you serve the perfect chicken tender? Jerry Misa and Sandra Lenska have found plenty at their Asian-Southern-Hawaiian fusion fried chicken restaurant Mochiko Chicken. The fried chicken tenders — crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside — are lightly breaded, fried and served with seasoned fries, a Hawaiian roll and Asian coleslaw in packs of two, three or four tenders starting at $6.99. Sauce choices include the sweet and savory Asian Q signature sauce, Polynesian, buttermilk ranch, Mandarin sweet chili, coconut curry, ginger teriyaki, Sriracha sambal aioli, barbecue, and maple butter syrup, the perfect accompaniment for the tenders and waffles. For fans of grilled versus fried foods, Mochiko Chicken offers $7.99 char-grilled chicken bowls featuring a bed of white or brown rice topped in chicken that the menu says has been marinated in sauce for 27 hours and is grilled fresh daily. Bowls topped in crispy chicken are also available. The quirkiest of the bowls, available crispy or grilled, is the Hawaiian Hen House with a fried egg on top. A drink and stir-fried vegetables can be added to any bowl for $2. While standard sodas and teas are offered, it’s worth trying the lychee lemonade or rotating drink specials such as the mango pineapple cooler or the melonade. And it’s worth asking about the “secret menu.” The strip mall location in a Trader Joe’s-anchored shopping center offers window-facing counter seating and tables. Mochiko Chicken is open from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Happy hour with $1 off bowls is 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, visit mochikolasvegas.com.