by Bottom Line: Krazy Katsu is making some darn good chicken sandwiches with a twist, but be warned that the DNA (Do Not Attempt) option is aptly named.
Krazy Katsu is a local eatery in San Antonio (currently with two locations) that serves a different style of fried chicken. Originating from Japan, Chicken Katsu consists of a cutlet (usually from breast meat) that is coated with flour, egg, and panko bread crumbs and then fried. Krazy Katsu starts with this basic recipe and offers plenty of variations, including an assortment of sliders and sandwiches, loaded fries, loaded mac & cheese, rice bowls, and more. They also have some pretty good-looking burgers if you’re not in the mood for chicken.
These guys advertise that they make the hottest sandwich in town, so they’ve been on my radar for a while as a place to check out. I stopped by just recently and got two of their sliders (they call them “Slide Chicks”) so that I could try out two levels of heat that they offer. I ordered the Hot Katsu and the DNA Katsu. Following is the description of each from the menu:
Hot Katsu Slide Chick: Herb-brined, panko-breaded chicken breast + house HOT spices + Kung-Fu sauce (mild spicy aioli) + jalapeños + Kewpie coleslaw on our signature scratch-made Ono bun.
DNA Katsu Slide Chick: Herb-brined, panko-breaded chicken breast + house-made INSANELY HOT spices + Kung-Fu sauce + scorpion pepper ranch sauce + Thai chilis + jalapeños + Kewpie coleslaw on our signature scratch-made Ono bun.
For the latter sandwich, you have to sign a waiver before they’ll serve it to you.
To start off with, these Slide Chicks are pretty sizable, with the chicken cutlet spilling over the bun. One of them and some fries makes a satisfying meal. Add that second one, and you’re probably going to need to do some extra time on the treadmill later! I didn’t get a look at the full-sized sandwiches, but I’m guessing those are pretty sizable as well.
I started with the Hot Katsu, and that truly is a tasty chicken sandwich. I took a bite of the chicken by itself, and it has a good crust with a nice crunch surrounding tender and flavorful meat. That panko breading gives this a lighter taste and feel than many of the fried chicken breasts you’ll find out there, and it really distinguishes itself from the competition.
The slider is loaded with slaw, which is tasty with a nice creaminess and a good sweetness, and there’s still some texture to the vegetables. The jalapeños bring some vinegar tang and a kick of heat, and the seasoning adds a nice peppery bite. The scratch-made roll was quite tasty and stood up to the test of holding this rather messy sandwich together.
Heat-wise, the Hot Katsu was about Medium on my scale. It didn’t set my mouth on fire, but it had a nice kick that lingered for a bit. I made my way through half of that one before turning to the DNA slider, figuring I might need to return to it as a cooldown from the hotter sandwich. That proved to be a wise choice.
My first taste of the DNA Slide Chick was with some of the scorpion pepper ranch sauce that had dripped out. I dipped a fry into that and immediately felt the heat! There’s a little bit of Ranch tang, but that’s quickly overpowered by the deep, peppery flavor and a notable burn. I knew right away that their warning, “It’s GONNA HURT!” was accurate.
As you dig into the DNA slider, not only do you get the taste of that scalding Ranch sauce, but the “Insanely Hot” spices deliver an intense peppery punch. You have the coleslaw to give some counterbalance, but that quickly gets lost amidst the other molten ingredients. You also have the Thai chilis and jalapeños in there, and all of that adds up pretty quickly. I will say that the first few bites were pretty good, as I could still taste all the ingredients. But after that, the inferno takes over!
I would put this beyond the Insane level on my scale, and you should definitely heed their warnings. This comes with a waiver for a reason, and it goes beyond the heat level I prefer. As I have said before, I search for that sweet spot where fire meets flavor, but the DNA is heat for the sake of the pain. I was able to finish the entire slider (and was glad I still had half the Hot Katsu to cool down with), but if I had ordered the full-sized sandwich version, I would not have finished that. My lips were burning for over an hour afterward, and I also paid the price for eating this one later in the day.
As mentioned, Krazy Katsu claims that the DNA is the hottest sandwich in town, though I’m thinking the people at Chunky’s will take that challenge with their Four Horsemen Burger (which is a sandwich for insane heat lovers only and I have no interest in trying it). But whether it’s the hottest or not, this is only for those looking for an intense level of burn that will also deliver plenty of pain. If that’s your thing, you should definitely give this a try.
I’ll pass on the DNA next time, but I will certainly be returning to Krazy Katsu. They have several other tempting sandwiches on the menu, and I’m thinking that the El Guapo might amp things up a bit more than the Hot Katsu. I stopped at the location off of McCullough, which is essentially a stationary food truck. They have a few chairs inside where you can eat, and a nice outside deck for when the weather is nice. Their website also shows a location at the Food Truck Park in downtown located at 1009 Avenue B. Krazy Katsu is definitely making up some good chicken sandwiches, and they will challenge you if you try the DNA, but they also have plenty more options that won’t send you screaming for the exits.
Krazy Katsu
5257 McCullough Ave
San Antonio, TX 78212
Phone: 210-592-4358
Hours: 11 AM to 9 PM Mon – Sun
Website: krazykatsu.com
