Chef Mitsuro Sato is dedicated to a single category of Japanese cuisine: tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet). Following in his father’s footsteps, Sato is the second-generation owner of Tonkatsu Sugita, a restaurant in Kuramae with a history spanning more than four decades.  Many believe Sato serves the best tonkatsu in Tokyo, because he thinly cuts fresh domestic pork loin, painstakingly prepared for each patron, and then fries it in specially imported lard from Holland that gives the dish its signature mouth-watering aroma and taste. Sato’s finely honed techniques entertain those seated at the main counter. Pork loins and fillets are shifted back and forth between two lustrous copper pots – maintained at different temperatures – until the meat turns a delightful golden brown. It is well worth the 30-minute wait in line. Served with a bed of shredded cabbage, the cutlet’s combination of crispy crust and juicy pork will make you want to savour every bite.

jeffrey_merrihue

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