Tonkatsu Marugo (とんかつ丸五), located in the Akihabara area, is known for always having a long line in front of the shop. Because of this, I would often give up on eating there. However, today I decided to wait, despite the long line. When I arrived 20 minutes before the opening time, there were already about 15 people waiting. Wow! Tonkatsu Marugo has a long history, and its appearance and interior give off a nostalgic Showa-era atmosphere.
The restaurant has two floors. This time, my seat was on the second floor.
Here is the menu. There is only one side offering deep-fried foods and sets. Interestingly, they also serve pork ginger and sautéed pork. Additionally, during winter, they offer deep-fried oysters (kakifurai), which are available until the end of February.
The other side of the menu includes rice, miso soup, pickles, appetizers, and drinks.
Of course, I know tonkatsu pairs well with white rice, but this time I ordered a small beer.
Marugo offers both large and small beers. The large beer is a bottled beer, while the small one comes in a glass, which isn’t as small as I expected. It’s about the same size as a canned beer, which was perfect for me.
The “otoshi” (appetizer) comes with alcoholic drinks. It featured shiitake mushrooms and kombu seaweed with rich flavors. It was delicious, and I’d definitely order it again if it’s available on the menu.
Since I didn’t need rice that day, I ordered the Speciall fillet cutlet (特ヒレかつ, 2200 yen) and miso soup (赤だし, 250 yen). They cook tonkatsu at a low temperature, which results in a lighter color of the coating. It takes a while to prepare, but it’s worth the wait. The dish also came with a generous serving of vegetables—nutritious.
When I picked the tonkatsu, meat juices flowed out. It wasn’t fatty at all but was incredibly juicy and tender. The condiments on the table include salt, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard, but I personally enjoyed it the most with the sauce.
On the table, there was also vinegared Japanese scallions (rakkyo) and umeboshi (pickled plum). It was great to enjoy them in between bites of tonkatsu. I can understand why people are willing to wait so long to enjoy their tonkatsu. Everything was delicious, and drinking in the nostalgic atmosphere of this long-established restaurant was simply awesome!
About
Name Tonkatsu Marugo (とんかつ丸五)
Open Lunch, Dinner
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Reservation Unavailable
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