Tonki, Meguro: The Tonkatsu Institution with a Line

Hi, it's Yoko, food blogger.

Right at the start of the new year, I finally went to a super-famous, long-established tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant in Meguro!!

I'd been curious about it for ages but never had the chance.

I'm so happy I finally made it.

The restaurant opens at 4:00 pm, and I'd heard there's always a long line, so I went early.

Order as soon as you walk in!

I arrived at 4:40 pm! Customers were streaming in and out nonstop.

As soon as you enter, you're asked for your order (loin or fillet) and whether you want the 1st floor (counter) or the 2nd floor (tables).

They don't hand you a menu, so please take a look at this photo (lol).

If you don't specify, it's treated as a set meal (teishoku), so if you want just the cutlet or want takeout, say "Loin only, please" or "To go, please."

I strongly recommend the 1st floor, where you can watch the tonkatsu being fried.

When the line reaches the stairs, the inside of the shop is the line for 1st-floor seats and the wall side is the line for 2nd-floor seats.

The almost supernatural order handling

It was my first visit, so I didn't understand the system and stood around confused just inside the entrance, but this gentleman is amazing.

You order as soon as you enter, so the order of customers gets shuffled while they wait in line, yet everyone is seated in the order they lined up and gets exactly what they ordered!

In the wall-side line, you move into a seat as soon as one opens up.

It's not a system where everyone shifts one seat at a time, so the order should get completely jumbled while you wait...

How does he remember it all, and how does he share it with the floor staff? It's a mystery.

The thorough division of labor is practically art

Right near the entrance, the tonkatsu is being breaded.

Once breaded, it's fried right behind.

In the middle of the shop, cabbage and tomato are plated, and the sliced tonkatsu is placed on next to them.

Then rice and miso soup come out of the kitchen at the back, completing the set meal.

Watching the dish being assembled is endlessly beautiful...!

It's reached the level of tonkatsu art.

Watching from the wall, 20 or 30 minutes fly by!

Of course, the service is perfect too.

When I was seated safely at 5:35 pm, they brought a hot towel and asked about drinks.

During the meal, if you still have tonkatsu left but the cabbage is running low,

someone flies over with a refill. I was moved.

And no tipping is needed. Japan is amazing, isn't it.

Crispy coating, well-cooked, light tonkatsu

I'm a fillet person, so I ordered the fillet katsu set.

It already has a little sauce on it and comes with mustard, so you can dig right in!

What makes Tonki's tonkatsu special is the thin, crisp coating.

The meat is thick but fairly well cooked through.

And there's no gaminess whatsoever.

I don't usually eat loin katsu, but I took a bite.

The fat is sweet, and this one is delicious too!!

The miso soup is tonjiru (pork miso soup). Maybe they slice the pork for it from the tonkatsu meat, because the pieces are thicker than in an ordinary tonjiru.

The fat melts slowly into the soup, full of savory depth...

Lightly pickled cucumber and takuan (pickled daikon) cleanse the palate.

Thorough service to the very end

When you're nearly finished, fresh hot towels and tea appear...

Not many restaurants bring a new hot towel, but your hands can get messy during a meal, so I love it.

When you pay, for some reason they give sweets only to the women.

A Black Thunder chocolate bar, yay.

It was a really pleasant first meal out of the year, right to the end.

Just experiencing the "Tonki symphony," with the man who looks like the head chef handling the customers and a flawless division of labor turning out each tonkatsu set, is worth the trip.

When you want to be soothed by tonkatsu, please visit Tonki.

Tonki
1-1-2 Shimomeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0064
16:00-22:45
Closed Tuesdays
03-3491-9928