Katsukura specialize in tonkatsu (deep fried breaded pork). Tonkatsu was invented in the Meiji period in the late 19th century as kind of Japanese western dish. It remains a very popular choice to this day and you cannot go wrong with Katsukura. For those of you who might think deep-fried equals heavy and greasy you will be pleasantly surprised. Here tonkatsu comes with shredded raw cabbage, barley rice and miso soup on the side. The pork is amazingly light and melts in your mouth and is definitely worth the queuing for. The sauce into which the sliced pieces of pork are dipped is VERY important. At Katsukura, you crush a handful of sesame seeds with a pestle and mix in the sauce (a vegetable, palm, fruit & red wine mixture) that is provided. There are two kinds: regular and spicy. The raw shredded cabbage offers just the right balance to the pork. Free extra helpings of cabbage, rice and miso are available. It is a great place to drop in for lunch or dinner. They also do take-away and offer non-meat choices such as vegetable rolls and large breaded prawns instead of pork.
Menus in English are available and the price is reasonable. A set menu without drinks is under JPY2,000- per person.
Location:
In central Kyoto there are three branches.
One around the corner from Shijo Karasuma Toyoko Inn. Turn left out of the hotel and turn into the first street on the left before Daimaru department store. It's the third building on the left.
One on Teramachidori near the corner of Shijodori.
One on Sanjodori is located in the covered section near the junction with Shinkyogoku. It's easy to miss as the entrance is only a narrow gap between buildings but you can't miss the food display outside (see photos posted).
Open daily from 11:00 to 21:30 except Saturdays open till 22:00
No table bookings possible. It does get very popular at peak times during the day and in the evening, but it' s worth the wait which is not that long as its turnover rate is quite fast.
Several branches in Tokyo including 14th floor of Takashimaya Department store in Shinjuku and B1 floor of Shiodome City Center in Shiodome.
Website (in Japanese) :
http://www.fukunaga-tf.com/katsukura/shop/index.html
for a few photos & menu see:
http://www.fukunaga-tf.com/katsukura/menu/index.html
