Hyperlocal Tokyo

I visited Yaba Ton, the Gransta Yaesu branch in Tokyo Station. Update: I went there two weeks in a row. The location of the store is a bit hard to find, but you can find it if you go to the ramen street. The taste is the best miso katsu (pork cutlet). (Update) I went back because I couldn't forget the taste. I ordered a single piece of fillet cutlet. The meat was tender and covered in a generous amount of miso sauce. I wish they offered a single order without rice, as I didn't need it. Will I go again next week? It's a taste I want to enjoy whenever I return from a business trip. I hope they open more stores.

A specialty shop for Nagoya miso katsu located in Yaesu Gransta, an underground shopping mall near JR Tokyo Station. It can be difficult to find due to the underground location and the surrounding shopping area, known as Yaechika, which has many dining options. The shop itself is not very large, so it may not be suitable for large groups. The menu is almost identical to the stores in Nagoya, making it a great opportunity to enjoy authentic miso katsu in Tokyo. The chairs have a pig, the brand's mascot, carved into the backrests, which is a nice touch. The classic "Wara ji Tonkatsu Set" can be ordered with both sauce and miso sauce. While you might think, "Why sauce when you're here for Nagoya miso katsu?", choosing miso sauce results in a generous amount of sauce covering the katsu, making it difficult to enjoy the crispy texture of the breading. However, choosing sauce allows you to maintain the crispy texture while still enjoying the miso sauce, as it's generously poured over the katsu. If you want to enjoy the texture, consider ordering the combination. The prices used to seem a bit high, but with the recent yen depreciation and price increases across the board, it now feels like a bargain, which is ironic. Hopefully, they can maintain these prices in the future!

Located in Gransta at Tokyo Station, it's a convenient location so I used it. I've been to another Yabaton location once before, so this was my second time. The cabbage rice is refillable, so you can have as much cabbage as you want, which is great. I also got a lot of sauce, and I was full. I'll definitely go back again. Thank you for the meal.

I've tried to visit this place several times in the past, but I always got lost and gave up. This time, I was determined to find it, and finally, I did! I didn't realize that Gransta extended outside the ticket gates. I found Yaba-ton tucked away in a small space behind the ramen street, after exiting the Yaesu Underground Entrance. It was my first time having Yaba-ton since I tried it in Nagoya years ago. I ordered the Waraji Tonkatsu set. The rice and cabbage were refillable. It was delicious.

This restaurant is located outside the ticket gate. I highly recommend the "[Specialty] Waraji Tonkatsu Set Meal." You can enjoy two pieces of pork cutlet with two different flavors: "miso" and "sauce." The food is incredibly delicious, and I was also happy with how quickly the food came out after I sat down. I was surprised because I thought tonkatsu would take a long time to prepare. I guess they take orders while you're waiting in line. The staff are also very energetic. This restaurant is a hidden gem, located a bit away from the popular shops in Yaechika (Yaesu Underground Street) and the ramen street in Tokyo Station Ichibangai, which are always crowded during meal times. You might have to wait in line during lunchtime, but it's still better than those other places. I saw two families with strollers, so it seems like it's okay to enter with small children. The "Gransta Tokyo" building where this restaurant is located is part of the JR East Group, so I earned JRE Points for using certain payment methods. They accept transportation IC cards like Suica, as well as QR code payments like PayPay.