Katsu chicken isn’t something I usually expect to find on a chipper menu, but it’s on offer at Sea Salt and Sole in Dyce.
A lover of Katsu ever since I tried it at Wagamama – a basic order, I know – I was intrigued when I found out Aberdeen fish and chip shop Sea Salt and Sole serve this.
So, I couldn’t resist heading along to give their Katsu chicken a try.
You can find Sea Salt and Sole ideally located next to the Dyce train station.
Although it opens at 4pm (when my colleague Andy and I head along) it’s not long before there are customers aplenty.
It’s clearly popular with locals, but what did we think?
Did Sea Salt and Sole’s fish supper measure up?
First off, we couldn’t visit Sea Salt and Sole without trying the chipper staple: a battered haddock supper (£11.30).
The North Sea haddock is huge, served alongside a generous portion of thick, vinegar-soaked chips – just how we like them.
The batter on these was crispy, and the fish tender, flaky and fresh.
So often these days at fish and chip shops the chips taste no better than basic oven chips.
These are nothing like that.
They’re crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
I also noticed that there weren’t too many of the really wee, crunchy ones – a plus for me.
Ratings:
Andy: 5/5
Joanna: 4/5
The Sea Salt and Sole Katsu Chicken
Next up, we tasted the legendary Katsu chicken (£7) available at this Aberdeen chipper.
I have heard a lot of good things about the Sea Salt and Sole Katsu chicken. Colleagues told me that they visit the chipper just for the Katsu chicken.
So did this dish live up to my high expectations?
I can tell you that it is a resounding yes.
The Katsu chicken was even better than I expected.
The panko breading on the chicken had an excellent crunch, but the chicken inside wasn’t dry. The breading didn’t get soggy in the sauce either.
And the sauce itself was incredibly moreish, a nice mix between salty and spicy.
The chunks of green onion on top added a nice flavourful crunch to every bite.
I can see what all the fuss is about with Sea Salt and Sole’s Katsu chicken.
They added this dish as a special, and it hasn’t left the menu since. It’s clear why!
Ratings:
Andy: 4/5
Joanna: 5/5
How was the macaroni pie and the spicy chicken burger?
While you might be used to seeing a pie on the menu at your local chipper, I doubt it’ll be one like this.
The Mac ‘n’ pulled pork pie (£4.20) is packed with creamy macaroni and cheese, and topped with chunks of pulled pork and crispy onions.
I’m not the biggest fan of macaroni and cheese, but the crispy meat and crunchy pie crust added great variety in texture.
The flavours were rich, and the pie had good integrity. It didn’t completely fall apart when we cut into it.
The pulled pork was slightly chewy for me, but Andy had no complaints.
Ratings:
Andy: 4/5
Joanna: 3/5
Sea Salt and Sole are also known for having very tasty burgers – not what you really expect from a chipper either.
The chip shop does offer more traditional options too, like scampi, king rib, battered smoke sausage, and haggis, white, red and black pudding.
But we went for the Buffalo chicken burger (£6.70), and I wasn’t expecting something so big – or tasty.
The brioche bun overflowed with a huge piece of chicken, shredded lettuce and delicious, sticky buffalo sauce.
The heat of the sauce was mellowed by the slice of mild cheese, but all in all it was a satisfying, salty bite.
My only complaint is that I would have liked for the chicken to be coated in the sauce, so we could taste the spice in every bite.
Ratings:
Andy: 3.5/5
Joanna: 4.5/5
We had a great trip to Sea Salt and Sole in Dyce, and were big fans of the quirky menu.
It’s not what you expect from a chipper, but they nailed all the items we tried.
Where would you like us to try for our next Taste Test?
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