Restaurant News

Try this decadent frank from a metro Atlanta fried chicken spot

Dish of the Week: Hot dog from Ponko Chicken
The hot dog from Ponko Chicken is fried, with a Japanese-influenced breading similar to the restaurant's famous chicken. Henri Hollis/henri.hollis@ajc.com
The hot dog from Ponko Chicken is fried, with a Japanese-influenced breading similar to the restaurant's famous chicken. Henri Hollis/henri.hollis@ajc.com
Feb 25, 2021

Ponko Chicken, the Japanese-influenced fried chicken chain, serves a hot dog cooked exactly like its chicken: breaded and fried.

The breading, inspired by the fried pork called tonkatsu, encases the all-beef dog in a beautifully uniform, golden, crispy shell. There’s plenty of salt and richness to be had between the frank and the breading, but it’s the added texture and crunch that really make this hot dog stand out.

The sole topping is the restaurant’s sesame slaw, which provides coolness and more crunch, and also is available as a side dish. The sweet sesame dressing helps balance the hearty, fried beef frank.

Ponko Chicken has pulled off an amazing feat with its hot dog: It’s fancy, without being fussy. The dish plays to the strengths of the restaurant, and it doesn’t take away the simplicity and low-maintenance enjoyment of a standard hot dog.

Ponko Chicken. Multiple Locations. 770-790-0966, ponkochicken.com.

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About the Author

Henri Hollis is a reporter and restaurant critic for the Food & Dining team. Formerly a freelance writer and photographer with a focus on food and restaurants, he joined the AJC full-time in January 2021, first covering breaking news. He is a lifelong Atlantan and a graduate of Georgia Tech.

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