It’s not like you want to see if you get an itch after a meal from a tiny Korean spot on Keeaumoku Street, but with a name like “Itchy Butt,” the curiosity factor is cause enough to check it out.
The sign is even more comical, with its caricature of a chicken scratching its tail, and the improbable tag line “Chicken & Joy” beneath it.
Amy Eun, the original owner, humored her 10-year-old daughter, who thought the name Itchy Butt would be cute. Eun went along with her suggestion, and it turned out to be a good gimmick for drawing customers.
About the business: Eun opened Itchy Butt in 2014, specializing in several sorts of chicken and Korean dishes. The takeout stand was taken over two years ago by husband and wife Yong and In-ae Lee. In-ae Lee worked for Eun and wanted to buy the business when Eun left, Yong Lee said.
ITCHY BUTT
>> Address: 1229 Keeaumoku St.
>> Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays; until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
>> Prices: $7 to $22 per entree
>> Info: 942-4845
The name still makes Yong Lee chuckle, and another advantage, he said, is it’s “easy to remember.”
Many customers ask about the name. Cashier Chris Kim said many customers are drawn by the name, and when they see a line forming in front of the order window, their curiosity is really peaked. Kim added that no one has yet complained of an allergic reaction that led to actual itching.
The Lees’ daughter Ye Ji and son Sangjin, in their early 20s, also help with the family business. Ye Ji is a bit surprised by how popular Itchy Butt is, especially because it’s “a very small place and not a lot of people know about it.” Locals flock to it, and millennials seem to be drawn by the low prices, she said.
About the food: The fried chicken bowl is the most popular dish, with a batter that gets an extra crunch from being sizzled a second time after the customer puts in an order, Ye Ji said. It’s topped with a spicy mayo drizzle, served on white rice. The Korean and garlic chicken, as well as the bulgogi bowl, also run out the door. The Lees have stuck to the original menu and recipes, although the fried potato wedges have been replaced by fried mozzarella sticks.
What and how to order: The regular-, Korean-, shoyu-, spicy- and green onion- flavored birds may be ordered two ways. A half chicken (9 pieces) is $13 for a single flavor; a whole chicken (18 pieces) is $22 for up to two flavors. Both come with Korean radish, cheese sticks and a drink (two drinks with the whole chicken).
Also available are rice bowls with bulgogi, pork, curry or tonkatsu; fried mandoo; smoothies; and breakfast items. Prices average $7. Order by phone or in person.
Grab and go: A few parking stalls are available in the front of the strip mall, or find metered spaces along Kinau Street, which abuts the baseball field at Cartwright Neighborhood Park.
Grab and Go focuses on takeout food, convenience meals and other quick bites. Email ideas to crave@staradvertiser.com.