Tonkatsu Restaurant Okuda

In a residential area called Mototanaka, north of Kyoto University, there is a popular tonkatsu specialty restaurant called Tonkatsu Restaurant Okuda, which was established in 1988 and has already been in business for more than 30 years. Because of its location, the restaurant is frequented by students, and there is often a long line of customers, especially during lunch time.

What is the pork cutlet available at this student-oriented restaurant like? I decided to visit the restaurant one Monday lunchtime to give it a try. Luckily, there was no line at the restaurant even though I visited at around 1:00 pm. “Lucky!” I exclaimed in my heart as I entered the restaurant…

As expected of a newly renovated restaurant, Tonkatsu Restaurant Okuda is simple but clean…Tonkatsu Restaurant Okuda is a restaurant like this

As one would expect from a newly renovated restaurant, Tonkatsu Restaurant Okuda is a simple yet clean restaurant. With gray wallpaper and wooden tables and chairs, it has the atmosphere of a small restaurant with seating for 18 people, including six counter seats and three tables with seating for four people. The interior of the restaurant has the relaxed atmosphere of a family-run restaurant, and the owner was working diligently in the kitchen to prepare tonkatsu.

At Tonkatsu Restaurant Okuda, we placed our order by purchasing a meal ticket from the ticket vending machine on the left as soon as we entered the restaurant. It is an LCD touch panel type and accepts not only credit cards, but also various types of electronic money and transportation system ICs. It would not be surprising if a nationwide chain restaurant had such a machine, but to encounter such a machine in a privately owned restaurant… I was impressed in a strange(?) way that had nothing to do with the food.

Jumbo Loin Cutlet Set Meal: A student’s favorite restaurant, Tonkatsu Restaurant Okuda’s hearty menu is as powerful as you’d expect!

Let me introduce the jumbo loin cutlet set meal (price: 2,100 yen including tax) I ordered at Tonkatsu Restaurant Okuda. Image here…

The set meal comes with rice, red miso soup, and oshinko (Japanese pickles). They accept a large serving of rice for free, and the image above shows a large serving of rice (note: refills are charged). Also, I thought I had changed the pork miso soup in my order, but I guess I did not purchase the meal ticket as requested, so unfortunately, the miso soup was left as the default red soup stock…

Let’s quickly forget about this sad event and eat the tonkatsu… First of all, this tonkatsu is very large. The “jumbo” sign is no lie at all. It may have more impact than the extra-large loin cutlet at Tonkichi, a popular restaurant in Ichijyoji. The dark brown batter has a crispy texture. Inside the cutlet that has broken through the batter is a thick loin meat, perhaps 3 to 4 cm thick. It is not the rare tonkatsu that is so popular these days, but you can enjoy the meaty texture with great elasticity more than enough.

The demi-glace sauce on the tonkatsu, on the other hand, is a fruity type with an impressive sourness from the tomatoes. Although the pork cutlet is hearty, the sauce allows us to easily eat it without feeling it is too heavy until the very end. However, although it looks like a lot of sauce is poured on the cutlet, it is actually not enough because the cutlet is even bigger than it looks. Well, even if there wasn’t enough sauce, there were plenty of condiments on the table, so we didn’t have to worry about it…

The Jumbo Loin Cutlet Set Meal at Tonkatsu Restaurant Okuda was not only generous in volume, but also had a traditional tonkatsu taste, which I personally found satisfying. Frankly speaking, I think the price is unbeatable for such a large portion, and I can understand why this restaurant is a favorite of students. If I were a student living nearby, I would certainly repeat this restaurant several times a month. When we are in the mood for a hearty tonkatsu at a reasonable price, this restaurant seems to be a very strong candidate in Kyoto.

Examples of other set menus at Tonkatsu Restaurant Okuda (prices include tax)

• Roast pork cutlet set meal: 1,250 yen
• Miso katsu set meal: 1,250 yen
• Cheese Katsu set meal: 1,250 yen
• Neri-ume Katsu set meal: 1,250 yen
• HERE Katsu set meal: 1,350 yen
• Stewed pork cutlet set meal: 1,100 yen
• Minced pork cutlet set meal: 1,000 yen

Tonkatsu Restaurant Okuda is available for take-out… Access to Tonkatsu Restaurant Okuda is a 3-minute walk from Mototanaka Station on the Eizan Dentetsu Line, the nearest station to the restaurant.

Tonkatsu Restaurant Okuda also offers a set meal menu for take-out. Looking at the take-out menu, it seems that the price is the same as the eat-in menu. I guess I appreciate that. But since you have to buy a meal ticket inside the restaurant even for take-out, can’t I call in advance and ask, “What time should I pick it up?” something like that? That aside, I think this restaurant is perfect for those who want to eat traditional home-style tonkatsu, so if you have a chance, please give it a try.

Now, here are the details of the restaurant…