Itabashi City, Tokyo, Japan｜桐半

Small katsu restaurant mostly frequented by locals. The food is great. Be prepared to wait up to 15 minutes for your dish as it's prepared with care by the lone experienced chef. And, you can't beat the price. You'll get 3 or 4 sides to complement your protein of choice. Mains start at ¥850 (with smaller sizes available for a ~¥200 discount). One of my favorite restaurants in Tokyo and definitely one of the best and most authentic spots in Itabashi.

Today I really wanted to eat curry, so I went to try Kirihan's cutlet curry (700 yen), which I had been curious about for a while. It was my first time entering a tonkatsu restaurant, so I was a little nervous, but the restaurant had a nice, homely feel. I ordered cutlet curry (700 yen). After a while, the cutlet curry came out. This was my first time eating curry with a fork, but it was easier to eat with a fork. The cutlet was cut into individual bites, the meat was just the right thickness, and the batter was just right. The meat is also very tender and delicious. At first I thought the taste of the curry was sweet, but as I continued to eat it, I noticed that it had a spiciness to it, and I realized that it was a curry roux that went well with the cutlet. It's also delicious when you eat it with the shredded cabbage that comes with the palate cleanser, or with the cutlet topped with curry roux. The pork soup that came with the cutlet curry was delicious with just the right size of vegetables. I thought the pork soup at the pork cutlet restaurant was really delicious. Is it special this time? I would like to try the cutlet curry (900 yen) or the fried set meal.

The special cutlet curry costs 900 yen for 200g of cutlet, and is very satisfying. What's a little unusual is eating curry with a fork. My companion ordered pork saute for 1,380 yen. The special loin cutlet, which I didn't order this time, costs 1,700 yen and apparently weighs 400g. Please come next time I want to try the special loin.