Feb 02, 2026 18:40:00

A fascinating 'Shkmeruli Chicken Cutlet' tasting review that is easy to eat despite being intensely garlicky and crunchy chicken

Shkmeruli, a Georgian dish known as the world's most delicious way to eat garlic, became a huge hit after the Georgian ambassador visited Matsuya to try it, and it was only available on

the menu at the restaurant . ' Shkmeruli Chicken Cutlet, ' a fusion of Matsuya's Shkmeruli and Matsunoya's chicken cutlet, was released on January 28, 2026. The Georgian ambassador had already tried it and raved about it, so I went to try it to see what it tasted like.

[Matsunoya] The world's most delicious way to enjoy garlic, Matsunoya style! New release of 'Shkmeruli Chicken Cutlet Set Meal' | Matsuya Foods
https://www.matsuyafoods.co.jp/whatsnew/menu/134144.html

It's Sucrepo. pic.twitter.com/GYTsSCSmxX
— Teimuraz Lezhava, Ambassador of Georgia to Japan (@TeimurazLezhava) January 28, 2026

Arrived at Matsunoya.

The Shkmeruli chicken cutlet is a highlight.

I ordered the Shkmeruli Chicken Cutlet Set Meal from the ticket machine. I could choose the amount of rice, so I went for a large portion.

Within a few minutes, the Shkmeruli Chicken Cutlet Set Meal was served. It came with rice, salad, and miso soup.

This is Shkmeruli chicken cutlet. As the name suggests, it is chicken cutlet topped with Shkmeruli. It also contains sweet potato.

The Shkmeruli combines the intense aroma and flavor of garlic with a creamy texture that makes it easy to eat. Despite its intense flavor, it's not difficult to eat. The chicken cutlet is a high-quality dish, with juicy thigh meat wrapped in a crunchy batter. The combination of chicken cutlet and garlic is outstanding.

Of course, it goes perfectly with rice. There were five pieces of chicken cutlet, and each piece was so flavorful that it was enough to eat with a bowl of rice.

The sweet potatoes are cut into large pieces and have a fluffy texture. The sweetness of the sweet potato makes a great palate cleanser for the strong flavor of the shkmeruli.

It's a dish that goes down very well with rice. If you eat a set meal in the restaurant, you can have rice refills for free, which is a nice bonus. I mixed the rice with the skmeruli that was left on my plate and enjoyed it to the very last bite.

The Shkmeruli Chicken Cutlet is priced at 730 yen (tax included) for a single item, and 990 yen (tax included) for a set meal. It will be available at all Matsuya restaurants nationwide (excluding Matsuya-affiliated restaurants and some other locations) from January 28, 2026, and some locations are already sold out, so hurry up and get one.

As expected, Shkmeruli did not last long enough to declare the blossoms in full bloom. https://t.co/OjVTdgQQs0
— Teimuraz Lezhava, Ambassador of Georgia to Japan (@TeimurazLezhava) February 2, 2026