Anyone who’s been a fan of Chef James Antolin’s Ikomai Tochi in Salcedo Village will swear by their Chicken Karaage on a stick, and how it’s chicken-thigh perfection. So imagine if you’d place those thighs between a soft bun (let’s stick to food, shall we?), and added all sorts of options via sauces and add-ons? That sounds like a real winning combination, and so I didn’t even blink an eye in booking a table for the first Sunday of Chef James’ Chatto Chicken Sunday pop-up at Ikomai (which is traditionally closed on Sundays).

It’s a Chatto Chicken Burger takeover of Ikomai, and James couldn’t be prouder explaining how it’s his opportunity to test the market with his Japanese partners who set up Chatto Chicken in Nagoya, and just had a very successful pop-up in Tokyo. And this is hardly surprising, as it’s the reliable 200g of juicy thigh cutlet that’s been marinated for hours, and now paired with exciting sauces and siding possibilities. I even heard from James that in the coming Sundays, chicken wings will be made available, and that in the near future, a duo of beef-centric options could sneak into the Sunday menu.

It’s an incubator stage of sorts for Chatto, testing the market via these Sunday takeovers, and letting the Chatto Chicken Burgers be sampled by the public. From what I saw and tasted that first Sunday, James and his partners have a strong winner on their hands. Several friends from the culinary scene, like Chef J Gamboa, showed up, along with noted food and lifestyle bloggers such as Handpicked by Ron & Chris, and a number of Japanese expats with their families. And yes, the chicken burgers are literally finger-licking good as they’re messy (in a good way), with the generous thigh pieces extending beyond the size of the delicious soft bun.

The three more popular variants that Sunday were the Classic Chicken Burger, the Salsa Chicken, and the Black Pepper Cheese Chicken. The Classic is served with lettuce, cheese, tomato and onions, while the Salsa has a spicy tomato-based salsa that adds flavor to the chicken burger. The Black Pepper Cheese has onions and a rich sauce that complements the chicken cutlet superbly. We ordered French fries, and my youngest, Luca, loved the curry fries.

There’s a Buffalo Chicken Burger that looks really interesting, and I overheard great things about the Yangnyeom Chicken Burger and the Avocado Chicken Burger. In true Japanese form, there’s a Teriyaki Chicken Burger that I’d like to try on my next Sunday visit. They’re priced upwards of P350/burger, except for the Double Chicken and the Avocado, which are north of P450. But if you factor in the 200g of chicken thigh, and how they’re all bursting with flavors and sidings, my cost-conscious youngest was saying it’s good value for money.

These chicken burgers really hit the spot, and it’s not like you’ll be looking for something else to eat after you’ve indulged. I’m a fastidious, neat eater, so I might opt to eat with a fork and knife the next time; but if you’re looking for what could be the most interesting chicken burger in Manila today, I’d highly recommend Chatto, and how it beats all the other chicken-inspired burgers without even trying! See you next Sunday!