Most delicious bread pork cutlet in Okinawa

“Rare amongst the common.” That is how my friend used to describe his favourite tonkatsu stall that he never missed to eat at least once a week. He always bugged me to try it but I was never quite in the mood. Recently, I reluctantly decided to drag myself to Tonkatsu Shinjuku Saboten to taste it for the very first time and boy, it did not disappoint. I now understand what my friend keeps rambling about and probably also explains his nice little pot belly. Brace yourselves as after I tasted the food, I may just join him in his rambling crusade. See below for more.

Considered as one of the most popular dishes in Japan, tonkatsu is very well-known not only in Okinawa but also in Japan and worldwide. The meaning can be broken down into two parts; “Ton” which means pork and “Katsu” which means cutlet, hence, pork cutlet. So, what is so unique about the tonkatsu in Saboten? Well, first off, it’s the combination of generously thick cut juicy pork and the well-seasoned egg mixture. Finalized with some primo quality bread crumb coatings, it is deep fried until the golden brown and crispiness that we all crave is achieved. It usually comes with freshly shredded cabbage, warm miso soup, rice, and other side dishes as a set. They also have other items such as the karaage chicken, shrimp tempura, and crab croquettes which are all equally scrumptious. And what is a “Cactus” (meaning of Saboten in English) without its nectar? In this case, that would be the tonkatsu sauce which has a nice salty sweet combo that just pairs wonderfully. The serving amount is pretty generously balanced considering the price and fill you up nicely, energizing you for your activities for the whole day. Aside from the tonkatsu set meals, Saboten also offers curries, kids set meals, and sandwiches that comes in a variety of flavours.

All I can say is that Tonkatsu Shinjuku Saboten has made me look at the sky and wonder “Is this a sign? What have I been doing with my life?” (Pause here for enlightened dramatization). I am definitely going to add this one to my list of regulars. To find this restaurant, head down to Rycom mall 3rd floor food court and it’ll be next to the escalators.