Hyperlocal Tokyo

Visit Date: November 2022 This is a tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant in Omotesando. It's located within a 5-minute walk from Omotesando Station. This place constantly has a line. I was able to make a reservation for the afternoon, so I booked 2 hours in advance and visited around 5:30 PM on a Sunday. It was already packed with people who had reservations. I'm glad I made one. There were also a few tourists from overseas. When I sat down and looked at the menu, I was surprised! TOKYO X, LYB (ルイビ) pork, Mangalitsa pork, Iwachu pork, Sele pork, Olive pork, Awasetsu pork... a whole lineup of famous pork breeds from all over Japan. I don't think there's another place in the country that has such a wide selection of pork breeds (°▽°) The prices range from around ¥1,000 to ¥6,000. There's also a menu where you can enjoy a course featuring three different breeds of pork. Out of all the options, I decided to try this one, which the staff recommended. It's pretty surprising to see a tonkatsu dish that costs over ¥4,000 w On the table, there are two types of salt from Yonaguni Island. "Kuroshio Genryu Salt" for the loin and "SAI" for the fillet. ✔︎ Izu Taiko Pork Upper Loin Set Meal (¥4,490) It arrived after about 20 minutes. It took a while. For the Izu Taiko pork, they provide crystal salt and truffle salt in addition to the aforementioned salts. They say that the crystal salt is meant to keep the salty flavor for a longer time. The Izu Taiko pork has a lot of fat. However, it's also characterized by its snow-white color. I thought, "This is going to be greasy," and took a bite. The fat is incredibly sweet and melts like snow, just like its color. It's pork that takes the sweetness of fat to the extreme (*﹃*) You realize that salt is the best way to eat it, without any sauce or anything. I ate the rice with the juicy meat that bursts in my mouth. This is a new level of pork... And the cabbage here is also fresh and delicious ✨ I even got a second helping. The miso soup is red miso. I'm also drawn to the owner's humility. I think this is a hidden gem. It was delicious(*^^*) Thank you for the meal!!

Delicious! This popular tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant has a line even before it opens. You can choose from over 20 different breeds of pork and they will fry it in front of you. For lunch, I had the upper loin cutlet & mini fillet cutlet set (Iwanaka pork). The breed changes daily. The loin and fillet are served with two recommended salts. Rice is available in a large portion and one free refill. Cabbage refills are also free. The background music in the restaurant is the same as what you would hear on an airplane, which fits the theme of traveling for tonkatsu. I recommend coming prepared for a 30-minute wait from joining the line to receiving your food. I want to try the other breeds of pork too. Thank you for the meal.

**Schwäbisch Hall Premium Loin Cutlet Set (¥6,990)** This cutlet is characterized by its rich, flavorful fat and tender lean meat. A classic pork cutlet with a perfect balance of flavors. 🐖 **Izu's Lake Pork Upper Loin Cutlet Set (¥5,490)** I was recommended to try this cutlet if I wanted to enjoy the richness of the fat. 👌 Apparently, only 6 pigs were produced this year, and the next shipment won't be until December. The fat is abundant, but not greasy at all. It melts in your mouth the moment you take a bite. I've never had a cutlet like this before. It's incredible! 👀 I went two days in a row, and on the second day, they gave me a complimentary menchi (meat croquette). Thank you so much! 🙏 This menchi is the best! The service is also excellent. They take the time to explain everything to each customer, and the owner's attentiveness is top-notch. For this price, everything is perfect! By the way, I usually get heartburn or indigestion after eating pork cutlets, but I didn't experience any discomfort at all on either day. Amazing! 👏

I had the fillet cutlet made with "Dorobuta" pork and the loin cutlet made with "Ise Akari" pork. I don't usually eat tonkatsu, but it was truly delicious! They provided different salts that complemented the fillet and loin, showcasing their dedication to quality. Apparently, some customers even come just to buy the salt. I made a reservation two weeks in advance, but there was only one time slot left. I highly recommend making a reservation early.

I had the "Dorobuta" (Mud Pig) Upper Loin & Mini Fillet Cutlet Set at #tonkatsujp. This tonkatsu restaurant in Omotesando has high hospitality. You can choose from a variety of branded pork depending on their availability, which is fun. I was torn between "Izu no Kiwami" (Extreme of Izu) and "Dorobuta", but chose "Dorobuta" based on my stomach's condition. "Dorobuta" is a Hokkaido pig raised with minimal stress, and it's the restaurant's signature menu. I thought a fillet cutlet would be nice for a change. It's so tender and easy to eat, you can bite into it from any angle. The loin requires a bit of effort to balance the lean meat and fat in your mouth, but I still prefer it. The frying is always perfect 😋. The portions increase and the fat content gets higher as you go from "Upper" to "Special Upper". I usually go for "Special Upper" when I order "Dorobuta". You can enjoy it with two types of salt. The miso soup is red miso. Rice and cabbage are free for one refill. There's a line during lunch, and it's best to make a reservation for dinner. There's a 1-hour time limit. #TokyoFood #OmotesandoFood #Tonkatsu #JapaneseFood #Dorobuta