Tonkatsu is one of the most popular Japanese meat dishes. What is it? Deep-fried pork cutlet with two different variations: pork fillet called hire-katsu (fillet) and tender pork loin called rosu-katsu (roasted). Tonkatsu Hamakatsu is a restaurant chain that was first established in Nagasaki in 1962. Nowadays, they have expanded with restaurants around Kyushu and Tokyo.
Lunch is served daily at Tonkatsu Hamakatsu from 11 am until 5 pm. The prices begin from ¥650 and the lunch set includes meat as well as refillable rice, miso soup, cabbage, pickles and tea. The service is quick and the waiters very helpful. At the beginning they bring you all the different sauces that will be used for the tonkatsu and the cabbage and they politely explain to you how you should use them and what kind of sauce mixture would taste the best.
If you’re very hungry the day you eat at Tonkatsu Hamakatsu, I would suggest you order the lunch set that also includes dessert and drinks. It costs about ¥1000 and you have full access to the juice and coffee bar and the dessert buffet, with a variety of fresh sweets, fruits, and ice-cream to choose from. For our little friends, there is a menu designed for children with smaller portions.
What I like about this tonkatsu restaurant is their commitment to serving good and healthy food to their customers. Everything is fresh and the meat is juicy. The meat comes from pigs raised in Kagoshima, the southwestern tip of of Kyushu island. When it comes to vegetables, Hamakatsu collaborates only with farmers that have reduced the use of agricultural chemicals and chemical fertilizer. If you visit their webpage, you can even find the suppliers name, which I consider a positive point since it’s always good to know where our food comes from.
They also offer a take away and home delivery service that can be very convenient, especially if you’re having friends over.
The photos featured in this article are from the restaurant in Higashi Koganei which is located 15 minutes away from JR Higashi Koganei Station and only 2 minutes away from Oakhouse’s Higako Sports Guesthouse.
If you’re planning to visit the beautiful Koganei Park when you’re in Tokyo then you should also drop by Tonkatsu Hamakatsu. Delicious and (most importantly) cheap food!
