Lunch at Katsukura

Japanese cuisine is my absolute favorite! Sushi may top the list, but another Japanese dish I can’t get enough of is tonkatsu (breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet). One of the best of the tonkatsu chains is Kyoto-based Katsukura. I stopped by for lunch one afternoon.

There are several locations in Kyoto and I went to the Teramachi location. I was shown to a seat at the end of the counter where you could see the kitchen through the large window.

The setting was pretty elaborate with small pots, plates, and a sesame seed grinder. No worries though, they have an English menu that explains everything.

The dipping sauce for the pork cutlet is made by grinding the sesame seeds and mixing in your choice of sauce. The original sauce is smooth and rich and contains red wine, apples, and dates. The spicy sauce adds 11 different spices.

The small white pot contained Katsukura’s original pickles – a mix of pickled cucumber and Japanese cabbage. I placed a small amount on one of the small plates.

You can grind the sesame seeds as fine as you want.

The tonkatsu was ready and hot out of the fryer. They use Shirashime oil that has been refined from vegetables and contains zero cholesterol.

The pork was tender and the breading was so crispy. Gotta love Panko bread crumbs. The flavor and texture was fantastic.

You’ll always be served a side of shredded cabbage with tonkatsu. It just goes well together. It’s light and refreshing with a tangy yuzu (Japanese citrus fruit) salad dressing.

Other sides include miso soup and white rice with some barley added. There are free refills on rice, soup, and cabbage.

Lunch was delicious. It’s no surprise that Katuskura is a popular choice for tonkatsu. It was time to meet up with my sister so we could check out Yayoi Kusama’s art exhibition in Gion!

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Katsukura Teramachi Shop
379, Naramonocho
Shimogyo-ku Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, 600-8004, Japan
+81 075-221-5261
Website