a must stop on my annual pilgrimage to tokyo – a city that i could claim twice as my home – is a favorite eatery called tonki. i have been going there since 2000. like many japanese dining establishements, tonki specializes in one dish: the traditional tonkatsu, a deep friend pork cutlet. it is not unusual to have to wait close to an hour for a seat at the counter. the restaurant is family owned and run. on entry you are greeted by an often smiling family members who immediately asks for your order and makes a mental note of when you arrived. when your turn comes, you will be signaled to your seat at the counter where you will be served first with the miso soup (traditional soy bean paste soup), followed by the main dish which is made up of the deep friend pork cutlets, rice, and shredded cabbage. best time to go is in the winter – make sure you ask for warm sake to start. oh, i forgot to mention, pace yourself eating the pork cutlets, your meal price includes unlimited helping of the miso soup, rice and cabbage.
tonki 1-1-2 shimo-meguro, meguro-ku, tokyo, Japan
phone +81.3.3491.9928
Monday 31 December 2007 at 3.23 pm |
Two stops from Shinagawa… Thanks for the tip!
Happy New Year!
e.
Sunday 27 January 2008 at 8.19 pm |
I first started going to Tonki in 1963 and now that I am back in the States after 42 years in Japan have Tonki near the top of the list when I get to Japan next. Original Tonki was similar to the main store in Meguro. Absolutely one of my favorites.