Tonkatsu teishoku: Tonkatsu, rice, soup, salad … this is 1,630 yen.
Tonkatsu was invented in the late 19th century and is a very popular dish in Japan. It is a one or two centimeter wide pork chop that is breaded and deep fried, chopped into bite-size pieces, usually served with julienned cabbage. Both lean bristle fillet and pork loin can be used in its preparation, salt and pepper are usually added to the meat and dipped in a mixture of flour, beaten eggs and Panko (Japanese bread flakes) before frying.
Tonkatsu has adapted to Japanese taste more deeply than other European foods and today it is served with rice, miso soup and tsukemono, in true washoku (traditional Japanese food) style, and is eaten with chopsticks. Some establishments even serve it with the more traditionally Japanese grated daikon and ponzu instead of tonkatsu sauce. Tonkatsu is also served as a filling for sandwiches (Katsu sando) or with Japanese curry (katsukarē). It is sometimes served with an egg in a large rice bowl as katsudon – a casual meal plate consisting of a single food bowl.
Regardless of its presentation, tonkatsu is usually always eaten with a thick Japanese Worcestershire sauce called tonkatsu sauce, although it is usually known simply as sōsu (“sauce”), although it can also be accompanied with a bit of the spicy yellow karashi ( Japanese mustard) or maybe with a lemon wedge. Some people prefer it with soy sauce. In and around Nagoya, the specialty is miso katsu – a tonkatsu eaten with a miso-based sauce.