“Kara-age” chicken (what you call fried chicken) with lemon is in no way shape and form the same as average “fried chicken” that you get anywhere in the USA. First off there is traditionally no skin (or very little) and the combination of ginger, soy, salt pepper marination and other local additions combined with tangy lemon make kara-age a personal addiction.

So my question is, I’ve never eaten at this particular place, but I hope you aren’t calling karaage “inauthentic” Japanese food. The flavoring can’t be found anywhere else. Not to mention the choice of meat and bite size preparation. Chic filet nuggets is the only chicken I’ve seen come close to consistency, but with zero of the flavoring.

Samurai sauce is a weird name, but they probably figured its more interesting than “tonkatsu” sauce which is exactly what you said, worchestershire cause thickened. I don’t see how this isn’t authentic considering that this probably reached Japanese shores decades, if not a century ago like curry.

I haven’t given up all hope yet, but the karaage was just not good. It was too greasy, and just not like the karaage I’m used to. Agedashi tofu was also just ok, but also too greasy. Maybe their fryers are too low temp.

Next time I’m trying the oyakodon… hopefully they make the cut.