Okinawa’s Newest “Soul Food”!
Introducing [Natty Nugget] (Tomigusuku City): Okinawa’s First Chicken Nugget Specialists

Just a fifteen-minute drive from Naha Airport is Senaga Island Umikaji Terrace, an attractive commercial area filled with stylish shops and trendy restaurants that fit right in on this beautiful resort island of Okinawa. Natty Nugget is Okinawa’s first chicken nugget specialty shop that opened here at Umikaji Terrace in June 2020. With a name like that, you know that they’re stylish and cool, and their nuggets are truly fantastic. Not only are they delicious, but they play an important and positive role in the local efforts to resolve issues of spent hens or hens that have passed their egg-laying potential; an issue that have been a challenge in the poultry industry.





The interior of Natty Nugget is painted flamingo pink and mint green, and every angle of the shop is pop and photogenic. As you wait for your order, snap a few pictures to share with your friends or as a memory of your visit to Okinawa.



Egg-laying hens are nurtured with healthy feed to produce good quality eggs, but their production level usually ends after about 570 days. Because of the good feed, these chickens have deeply delicious flavor, and its high content of imidazole dipeptide which is known for positive effects like fatigue recovery has been a hot topic.



The nuggets served at Natty’s combines chicken with Okinawan Momen tofu or firm tofu. The tofu is made by Unashi Tofu, a well-known local tofu producer with a 30-year history. The Momen tofu by Unashi is made by heating soy milk in a kettle directly on the flame, a method called the Jigama production method. The tofu has a sugar content of 8%, with a delicious Umami flavor of the soybeans and the texture is supple, smooth and is gentle and sweet.




 

The ratio of Okinawan chicken and Unashi Momen tofu is 7:3, and the blend of the ingredients gives a wonderfully delicious finish. The nuggets are high in protein and low in fats, so they’re healthy, too.

Of course, deep-fried foods are best when enjoyed fresh, so at Natty Nuggets, they cook their nuggets upon receiving orders so that the customers can always enjoy their tasty nuggets hot and freshly cooked. Each nugget is big, measuring at about five centimeters! Five pieces of nuggets come with a dipping sauce and is available for a great deal at ¥715.

They have a selection of 10 different sauces including your basic honey mustard, and uniquely Okinawan tartar sauce with local Shikwasa citrus, which enhance the taste and add beautiful color to your delicious snack. If you see a kind of sauce that might seem interesting, take a leap, and give it a try.


 

The nuggets at Natty Nuggets are made with safe and trustworthy ingredients, are popular and familiar, and they definitely are photogenic, too. They’re gaining popularity more and more with people of all ages.

They’ve recently opened a branch at the Urumarche market in Uruma City, limited to Saturdays and Sundays from 10AM to 6PM. Looking at its popularity, I don’t think it’ll take much time for these nuggets to become the newest ‘soul food’ of Okinawa, loved by locals and visitors alike. When you’re in Okinawa, stop by and try the fresh and delicious chicken nuggets at Natty Nugget.


 

Natty Nugget (at Umikaji Terrace)
Address: 174-6-24 Senaga, Tomigusuku City, Okinawa
Telephone: 098-851-5031
Hours: 10:30 to 21:00 (Last orders @ 20:30)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nattynugget.okinawa/?hl+ja   


Natty Nugget (at Urumarche)
Address: 183-2 Maehara, Uruma City, Okinawa
Telephone: 098-851-5031
Hours: 10:30 to 18:00 (Last orders @ 18:30)




Okinawa CLIP photo writer, Yu Murakami