Tonkatsu
Deep-fried pork cutlet sounds simple. In Tokyo, it's an art form. My favorite is Butagumi in Nishi-Azabu. They offer over 50 different varieties of pork, from Kagoshima kurobuta to Spanish Iberico, and the attention to the breed, the panko, and the frying is obsessive in the best way. It's set in a traditional Japanese house tucked into a residential neighborhood. Worth seeking out.
Butagumi
Butagumi is the Nishi-Azabu tonkatsu spot tucked into a quiet residential street, the room a converted house. The menu lists multiple pork breeds and weights so you can pick your cut. The cutlets come thick. The crust is crisp. The cabbage is shredded fresh. Reservations recommended.
Must order: The kurobuta (black pig) rosu cutlet, The hire cutlet if you want leaner, A side of extra cabbage and rice
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