A story about how delicious the loin cutlet at Tonkatsu Sugida in Kuramae is.A story about how delicious the loin cutlet at Tonkatsu Sugida in Kuramae is.

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If you don't eat this, your life will be ruined.

2023.6.23

A story about how delicious the loin cutlet at Tonkatsu Sugida in Kuramae is.













When he hears about something delicious, he rushes west and east to eat it all. Rumor has it that he is the Brillat-Savarin of Reiwa, or perhaps the return of Furukawa Roppa. Bassey is an editor with a taste for food with over 40 years of experience. The theme of the first installment of the gourmet essay ``If you don't eat this, your life will be ruined'' is pork cutlet. This is the beginning of a story about how good the loin cutlet is at Tonkatsu Sonosugida in Kuramae, Tokyo.

 








By far my favorite tonkatsu restaurant
"Tonkatsu Sugida"

 

Furukawa Roppa, a comedian who was a rare glutton,I also ate a lot of tonkatsu,It seems like he was eating something much worse than he is now.

 

I have visited many famous tonkatsu restaurants in Tokyo. Among them, ``Sugida'' in Kotobuki, Taito Ward is my overall favorite tonkatsu restaurant. The owner, Mitsuo Sato, who protects the store's noren, is the second generation owner. I've heard him exchanging words with customers, saying things like, ``I'm working hard to get closer to the old man,'' but I'm sure his skills have already surpassed those of his predecessors.

 

It's hard to say that it's light because it's pork cutlet, but I'd still say it's light. Your stomach won't feel heavy with oil after a meal. That's why, even when I visit alone, I try to eat both the loin and the fillet (most people are stunned when I confess this).

 

 







First of all, you should eat the loin cutlet without hesitation!

 

 

Actually, I want to try the hidden gem, fried shrimp, so it would be ideal for two people to visit together and share a portion of the loin, plus the fillet and fried shrimp (that would be too much!). If you're going to come to this restaurant, you'll want to go in with the attitude that ``Today is a fried food festival,'' rather than just a quick meal.

 

My friend is over 60 years old, but he must have a crazy satiety center. After eating a loin, he shared the fillet, fried shrimp, and an omelet, and then had to eat another loin. He said calmly. This is proof that it is that light. Of course, I was taken aback by that.

 

The standout thing about this restaurant is the roast. People who can only eat one serving should try this without hesitation.








Sugida loin cutlet Sugida loin cutlet

Check out Sugita's perfectly cooked loin cutlet.







There are two types of pots for frying cutlets: low-temperature and high-temperature. Apparently they use lard from the Netherlands. First, let it swim sufficiently in a low temperature pot, then move it to a high temperature. Determining when to heat is something that only a master can do. Of course, the timing is determined visually rather than using a timer.

 

Once the loin cutlet has been removed from the pot, the oil has been drained, and the steaming process has been completed, the shop owner cuts it into pieces about 1 centimeters wide. This thinness is amazing. This kind of division is rare in Tokyo (the one at Yotsuya Arakicho's Chawanbu is even thinner).







Check out the divine dignity that resides in Sugida's pork cutlet.

 

I think the arrangement of tonkatsu at this restaurant is divinely beautiful. Its appearance makes you want to cheer. It has dignity. The golden-yellow coating clings tightly to the meat (by the way, I'm so disappointed when I encounter a pork cutlet with the coating peeling off. Often, the egg yolk can be seen completely inside the peeling coating). (The excitement is diminished.)

 

Perhaps the preparation of the meat is excellent. Good balance of lean and fatty meat. The fat is on the low side, so even people who don't like the fat in loin can enjoy it. I remember that when I asked the owner about the origin of the pork, he answered that it was pork from Chiba Prefecture (if I'm wrong, I'm sorry).








Let's try lifting a piece from the middle. You'll notice the slightly pink meat, fried to perfection. If it's red, it's not cooked enough and you shouldn't eat it. If it's white in the middle, it's overcooked. The meat also becomes tough and dry. If the edges of the fillet are white and the middle is pink, it's just right. The cut surface of Sugida's loin may be similar to that of Enraku at Ikegami Station on the Tokyu Ikegami Line.







Salt → soy sauce → sauce → back to soy sauce, the circular motion of the tonkatsu

 

 

I don't overdo the sauce. Eat each piece lovingly. I want to eat it with salt first. Add a little salt to the corner of the plate and take a bite. The coating is torn crisply and the teeth reach the meat. The meat is tender and sweet. Ume~, an exclamation leaks out of my mouth. He's not exaggerating, he's amazed at how delicious it is. The salt brings out the sweetness of the pork even more. Add a little more.

 

The next slice is eaten with Japanese mustard and soy sauce. Most people probably think it's soy sauce. It was here that I first encountered tonkatsu, which was delicious when eaten with soy sauce. I want you to try it and think you've been fooled. I like to take people who have never tried it before to this restaurant, feed them with soy sauce, and watch them writhe in agony at the deliciousness. And you'll definitely hear me shouting: "It's true! Soy sauce goes well with it!"

 

If you're curious, you can try Worcestershire sauce, British Lieperin sauce, which is slightly more sour and spicier, and Chuno Tonkatsu sauce. Worcestershire sauce and Lieperin sauce are okay, but I feel like the thick sauce is too strong and drowns out the delicateness of the meat. Therefore, we inevitably return to soy sauce, which is the best match.

 

By the way, I think Worcestershire sauce or Lieperin sauce would go well with crunchy cabbage. You can also use soy sauce.

 

This tonkatsu, which I consider to be the best in Tokyo, comes with rice, pork soup, and pickles for 2800 yen. We should be grateful for that fact. It must be said that it is cheap compared to its deliciousness. The closer you get to the city center, the more expensive the tonkatsu becomes. What's more, the pork cutlet was nothing to complain about. Even if you go one step further to Kuramae, you'll still get plenty of change.

 







Why not try Japan's best fried shrimp, a masterpiece that rivals the loin cutlet?

 

So, what about the fins? This is definitely delicious too. It's delicious, but the excitement of the loin is even better. I think whether you choose loin or fillet is a matter of taste in meat quality. Perhaps even more impressively delicious is the extra-large fried shrimp. When I took a famous food critic, he grabbed not only his head but also his tail. They say, "This is the best fried shrimp in Japan!" There is no particular objection to that.

 

If you come with three or more people, we recommend the omelet. A glossy omelet with a rich buttery taste. The contents are thick and there is ketchup. Hmm, I can't help it.

 

Now, I have to mention not only the fried foods, but also the great supporting roles. The white rice is excellent. It's shiny and grainy. It's quite delicious rice. The pork miso soup and pickles are good, and the freshness of the cabbage is amazing. Because the knife is sharp, the meat is cut very finely and is sweet. Refills are inevitable. When the cut items run out, the shop owner cuts more each time. By the way, the cabbage that I thought was better than this one was ``Ponchiken'' in Kanda Ogawamachi.

 

For those who drink alcohol, it would be a good idea to pair it with sake after drinking bottled beer. You can also use barley shochu, and recently you can find Mori Izo (1500 yen/90ml) on the menu. Although I have never tried them together, I think potato shochu and tonkatsu go very well together.







Lastly, I would like to touch on the inside of the store. Normally, tonkatsu restaurants tend to be very greasy inside. Even the famous restaurants around Waseda are greasy throughout. That means insufficient ventilation and oil particles getting on customers' bodies.

 

 

However, this restaurant is not greasy at all. First of all, the ventilation is excellent. The tables, chairs, wallpaper, ceiling, and even the stainless steel refrigerator in the kitchen have all been beautifully polished. I asked the owner if the shop was thoroughly cleaned every day, but he said that they do it once every three days. I want you to sit at the counter and look around. You will be amazed at that fact.

 

 

Next time preview. The author recommends “3 Tonkatsu restaurants in Tokyo”

 

Well, my recommendation is ``Tonkatsu Sugita,'' but of course there are other tonkatsu restaurants that are as good as ``Sugita.'' So next time, I'll be presenting my recommendations for 3 Tonkatsu restaurants in Tokyo. stay tuned.




Pork cutlet Sugida

3-8-3 Kotobuki, Taito-ku, Tokyo
03-3844-5529
11:30-14:00/17:00-20:30
open on Sundays
Closed on Thursdays

Tonkatsu loin 2300 yen

Tonkatsu fillet 2700 yen

Fried shrimp Market price (about 3000 yen)

Omelet 1200 yen

Rice 300 yen

Pork soup 200 yen

26 seats
*Prices are subject to change, so please check





Author profile

 

Bassey is a foodie who has been eating around for over 40 years. In addition to Japan, he regularly goes to Hong Kong to eat Chinese food at his own expense, and also travels to Taiwan, Singapore, Bangkok, and Seoul for delicious food. During his time as the editor-in-chief of a travel magazine, he visited many Michelin-rated restaurants around the world, especially in Europe, and later on in the World's Best 50 restaurants. We want everyone who loves food to try ``Crab Miso Bean Paste Noodles'' from ``Tenkorou'' (Hong Kong). Actually, I like the Chinese food at this restaurant the best in the world. Another example of the best Western food is "El Seger de Can Roca" from Girona, Spain, which was ranked number one on the World's Best 50 list. Ah, I want to go there again.

 



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