Tonkatsu Nanaido

A tonkatsu restaurant is, by definition, one that serves deep-fried pork cutlets (“tonkatsu” literally means “pork cutlet”). But while Tonkatsu Nanaido’s pork cutlets are a major draw, its chicken cutlets rival the pork cutlets for popularity. Tonkatsu Nanaido’s pork selection is a revolving door of some of the nation’s most premium brands, like Yamagata Prefecture’s melt-in-your-mouth Maimaiton, or the GMO-free Tokyo-X, but the reputation of Chef Imai Takashi — already famous for the wildly popular Yakitori Imai next door — precedes him. The establishment of Tonkatsu Nanaido attracted many of his diehard regulars from Yakitori Imai, all of them highly curious to see how the yakitori maestro would bring his expertise to this new endeavor. And Chef Imai certainly does not disappoint. Tonkatsu Nanaido is the realization of a long-held dream of opening his own tonkatsu restaurant. The same passion and attention to detail that he applies to his yakitori skewers is also evident in his tonkatsu; a great deal has been made of the chicken breast, which like the yakitori in Imai, is all free-range. Full of juicy flavor, it is said to rival even the chicken thigh in terms of flavor and texture. The cutlets are enjoyed with a mountain of fluffy rice cooked donabe-style in earthenware pots, accompanied by flavorful miso soup, and mountains of refillable shredded cabbage. Imari porcelain plates add an elegant finishing touch to the experience. Michelin Guide: 2020 - Bib Gourmand