Hyperlocal Tokyo

This is a long-established tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant founded in December 1965, famous for its catchphrase, "Tender tonkatsu that can be cut with chopsticks" and "Hilekatsu (pork fillet cutlet) sandwich." While it's now known as the Aoyama main store, it originally started as a 10-tsubo (about 33 square meters) counter-only tonkatsu shop in the old Mitsui Bank headquarters building in Hibiya. The current location was established in 1978. It seems that tonkatsu restaurants started popping up around this time, as Saboten in Shinjuku was founded in 1966. I visited on a Saturday night and while there was a bit of a wait (there were empty seats, but we had to wait to be shown to a table), we were seated quickly. I noticed that there were more foreign customers than Japanese. The restaurant also offers hilekatsu sandwiches in orders of three or more, so I recommend ordering one to share.

I visited the main branch for the first time in decades. It had changed a bit, but the atmosphere was still great. There were remnants of the old bathhouse, which made me feel like they were carefully preserving the establishment. The tonkatsu was consistently delicious. The tuna sashimi was a bit disappointing, though. It's a shame.

I ordered the Kurobuta (Black Pork) fillet cutlet and the Kurobuta loin cutlet. Both were tender and easy to eat. The loin had a slightly richer flavor with a hint of sweetness, which I found delicious. While the fillet had less fat, the meat was delicate and had a light flavor. There was a line, but as the staff had said, it took about 20 minutes to get a table. You can't see inside from the street, but it's spacious and can accommodate more people than you might think. The crab and cucumber salad was also delicious. The staff were kind and the service was excellent. Thank you for the meal.

This is a restaurant where you can enjoy delicious tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet). The building is spacious with both counter and table seating, and it's very clean. I ordered the tonkatsu, and my wife ordered the ginger pork. The tonkatsu had a fine, crispy breading. The meat was sweet and incredibly tender. The combination of the fine, crispy breading and the tender meat was something I had never experienced before, and it was truly impressive. The ginger pork was seasoned with a sweet and savory sauce, and the ginger wasn't too strong, making it a delicious dish that even children could enjoy. You can also get refills on the cabbage, and it's a very satisfying experience where you can eat until you're full. I highly recommend this restaurant.

This restaurant is housed in a renovated sento (public bathhouse), with a counter at the front and tables in the back that retain the atmosphere of a changing room. Lunch starts at ¥1,300 and includes rice, miso soup, and unlimited refills of cabbage. The roast pork is highly recommended.