Welcome to Katarina Kitchen

Hello, fellow travelers! It’s your aromatherapy-loving SaruKuma writer here.

Today I’m excited to introduce you to a brand-new gem:

Located in Suya, Koshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture,
welcome to “Katarina Kitchen”!!

Here’s the scoop!
Rina Katayama — the beloved local TV personality affectionately nicknamed “Katarina” 💛 — is opening a takeout-only karaage (Japanese fried chicken) shop, and I rushed straight over to check it out (*^-^*)

Here’s the storefront!

Tucked into a quiet residential neighborhood, just look for the karaage flag fluttering out front 🎵 You’ll spot Himawari (Sunflower) Park just a few meters down the road.

There are 3 parking spaces available for visitors.

The food truck on-site serves drinks and sweets.

Beautiful congratulatory flowers 💐 had just been delivered (*^-^*)

And the karaage counter is right around the back.

Skipping breakfast in pure anticipation of this meal ( *´艸｀)
Let’s head straight back!

Katarina Kitchen’s Must-Try Menu

I’m leading off with my favorite shot of the day (⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧♡

Around the back, who do I meet but Katarina herself 💛 So lovely (⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧♡

She graciously agreed to my cheeky request and even posed for a SaruKuma photo 💛
Thank you so much 💛 What a thrill! 🎵

What she’s holding is the larger 500g pack of karaage.

Here’s the menu.

Karaage can be reserved in advance, so I made sure to book mine ahead of time.

《Menu》 ※All prices include tax

Karaage 1 pack: 500 yen (250g) / 1,000 yen (500g)
Chicken Nanban 1 pack: 700 yen

The 250g pack contains roughly 6–7 pieces.
Of course, I went all-in on the larger 1,000-yen pack ( *´艸｀)

This is the food truck serving drinks and seasonal sweets.

My targets: karaage and “Mont Blanc Mont Blanc”

Let’s check out the menu!

《Pre-Opening Special》

Mont Blanc Mont Blanc — Limited to 20 per day / No reservations / 800 yen → 650 yen!

“A drink you can eat!”

Ooooh, intriguing! I’d been eyeing this one, so I jumped on it right away (lol)

While we wait, let’s go over how to enjoy it best!

✨ First, savor the Mont Blanc cream on top — mixing too early might cause it to overflow! “Got it, I’ll be careful!”
✨ After enjoying half the Mont Blanc, let it slowly melt into the milk and enjoy the harmony of the two.

💛 The owner says she absolutely loves the flavor once it melts together 💛

Something to look forward to even after it melts (*^-^*) Time to check out the drinks too!

So adorable~ ( *´艸｀)

Drinks for the kids 🥤

Decked out in Halloween 🎃 style!

《Menu》 ※All prices include tax

550 yen each — egg Orange / egg Mango / egg Dracula / egg Coffee

Wait… Dracula??
I asked, and she said “It’s orange-based, so kids can drink it too! ♪”

And the cup has a screw-on cap like a plastic bottle, so it’s super convenient for taking on the go 🎵

I bought 2 oranges and 1 Dracula (*^-^*)

Here’s the large 500g size!

There’s a photogenic spot right next to the shop 💛
So I went a little overboard turning all this glorious food into Instagram-worthy snaps ✨

While I was snapping away, my stomach growled “grrrrr~~~!”
I just had to taste it fresh and hot, so… “Itadakimasu!”

“Mmmmm 💛 So delicious!”

The outside is wonderfully crispy and crunchy, while the inside bursts with juicy chicken — incredibly succulent and flavorful.
Despite being deep-fried, it’s not oily at all — just a hint of salt gives it a light, addictive taste that has you reaching for piece after piece.

Uh oh — I might not be able to stop!
This easy-to-eat style is sure to be a hit with kids too (*^-^*)

The moment they said “It’s ready!” I pounced on this beauty!

“🌰 Mont Blanc Mont Blanc 🌰”

And I followed the instructions to the letter 💛

This treat uses chestnuts from Kikuka — for the pre-opening, the entire staff pitched in to peel chestnuts together!

And once again, “Itadakimasu!”

“Mmmm 💛 Heavenly (⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧♡”
Such a generous mound of chestnut paste topped with sweet candied chestnuts — pure luxury!

The gentle, natural sweetness of the chestnuts spreads through your mouth, making for a blissful start to the morning — what a way to begin the day.

Truly, calling it a “drink you can eat” is no exaggeration — it’s remarkably satisfying.

Halfway through, I started gradually mixing in the milk to enjoy the Mont Blanc × milk harmony.

The flavor evolves gently as more chestnut blends in — a delightful, gradual taste transformation.

It’s like a Mont Blanc-au-lait — café au lait’s chestnut cousin (lol) — giving you the satisfaction of both cake and drink in one delicious package!

And here’s the Dracula drink! Got my Insta-worthy shot of this one too.

It’s an orange-based drink with a touch of refreshing tang — tastes just like a zesty orange juice, and yes, kids really can drink it ☺

I brought one home as a souvenir for the kids.

They twisted off the cap with ease and sipped away.

“Aaaah, so good ♪” — their verdict ( *´艸｀)

The kids polished off the karaage too! It’s just as tasty cold, making it perfect for bento boxes 🎵

Pre-Opening: October 20–24
Grand Opening: November 5

The Mont Blanc Mont Blanc may be replaced with a Purple Sweet Potato Mont Blanc — who knows?
Seasonal sweet treats 💛 Don’t miss their Instagram for updates!

Locals are already stopping by, and this looks set to become a beloved neighborhood karaage shop.

Why not stop by and see for yourself?

Frequently Asked Questions

※Information is current as of the time of coverage. Prices and hours are subject to change. Please confirm before visiting.