A Must For Tonkatsu Fans! Enjoy Miso Katsu In Ginza At Yabaton

Nagoya's Specialty: What is Miso Katsu?

Although tonkatsu is standardly dressed with Worcestershire sauce in Japan, miso katsu is a regional specialty of Aichi prefecture's Nagoya area, where this fried pork cutlet is served with a rich, miso-based sauce instead. For many, this is the dish that first comes to mind when thinking about food in Nagoya.

Yabaton: the Place to Go for Miso Katsu in Tokyo

Yabaton is a miso katsu specialty restaurant whose main location is Nagoya, in Aichi. The first incarnation of miso katsu is said to have come from this shop, who took kushikatsu (skewered, breaded and fried slices of pork), and dipped and baked them in a pot. It is said that the first shop owner of Yabaton invented miso katsu, although there are a wide range of opinions on this point across Nagoya.

The Yabaton Ginza location, found in Tokyo's Ginza district, sees numerous visitors each day, with many of them coming from overseas. In fact, there are many who frequent this shop, and the inclusion of English, Traditional Chinese, and Korean menus inside attest to their international appeal.

Now let's take a look at Yabaton's popular menu.

1. The Juicy and Steaming Teppan Tonkatsu

The teppan tonkatsu (1404 yen with tax) is a dish where the pork cutlets are arranged on a bed of cabbage on top of a hot iron plate. When the dish is brought to the table, the staff will then pour the miso sauce over the katsu, causing a delicious, miso-scented steam to rise off of the sizzling plate - you'll probably feel even hungrier when this happens. This dish tastes at its best when hot, so many tend to wolf it down right away.

If you are feeling in the mood to treat yourself, you might want to try the Ginza exclusive Kagoshima Kurobuta Teppan Tonkatsu, which is made using pork from black pigs raised in Kagoshima prefecture. This dish will set you back 1944 yen (with tax).

2. A Hearty Serving: Waraji Tonkatsu

Waraji Tonkatsu (1728 yen) is a whopping 200g portion of roast pork cutlet, which you can order with miso sauce, or with miso and Worcestershire sauce combined. In these photos you can see the differences for yourself, although if you are interested in knowing what the exact differences are, we recommend trying the one with both sauces. When ordering, you can choose whether you would like white or brown rice as well.

The Key to Their Delicious Dishes Is the Ingredients

The main reason behind the continued popularity of Yabaton is their dedication to the quality of their ingredients, not only to the pork, but down to the miso, bread crumbs, and even oil used to fried the dishes.

The tender and flavorful pork used at this restaurant comes exclusively from southern Kyushu, while only vegetable oil is used for frying all their foods in, in order to avoid changing the flavor of the basic ingredients. The breadcrumbs are made exclusively for Yabaton, and do not easily absorb the oil, meaning that they won't leave you feeling a heaviness in your stomach after dining there.

Their miso is also made using a secret recipe. Only miso that has been allowed to mature for a year or longer makes the grade, and it is said that the same highly guarded formula for the sauce has been used since the shop first opened. Compared to standard sauces, theirs has a crispness to its flavor and great compatibility with the tonkatsu itself, which makes this a restaurant loved by all.

Yabaton Ginza Is Also a Power Spot!?

The Yabaton Ginza shop is known for its fashionable interior featuring brick walls, and is very popular with those out for lunch in Ginza. On the second floor of the restaurant in the back, you will find something curious however: an altar with a sacred tree on it, dedicated to Ise Grand Shrine. Those who are in the know say that this is an incredible power spot itself.

There are also private rooms and VIP areas where patrons can enjoy their course menus at ease as well. In addition to having their own original wines, also carries a good selection of regional wines and shochu from Aichi prefecture as well. Please note however, that the course menu requires a reservation in advance.

Their Character Goods and Souvenirs Are Popular Too!

The cute pig character you see on the front of the shop and throughout the restaurant is Buu-chan, their mascot. In the souvenir corner near the entrance you can pick up mugs and T-shirts featuring Buu-chan, who is a very popular character. Not only that, but you can pick up containers of Yabaton's original miso sauce as well, which means you can enjoy this flavorful sauce at home. It's also great on salads and grilled meats as well, so we recommend this as a souvenir for the foodie in your life. The sauce set costs 540 yen.

If you would like to try a taste of Nagoya after a day spent shopping in Ginza, head over to Yabaton. You won't regret it!

Yabaton Tokyo Ginza store

Ginza Daisaku Building, 2-11-2 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061