Japanese
Isen Honten is a traditional, intimate eatery known for its spotless interior and attentive hospitality. Guests are warmly welcomed at the door, setting the tone for a relaxed and gracious dining experience. The atmosphere reflects the charm of a long-established restaurant—calm, understated, and ideal for savoring a meal in comfort.
The highlight here is the expertly prepared pork Tonkatsu cutlet, crisp on the outside and tender within. It is accompanied by a deeply flavorful miso soup generously filled with vegetables and meat, rounding out a satisfying and well-balanced meal. The pork Tonkatsu cutlet was invented at the legendary Renga-Tei restaurant in Ginza in 1895. After that, it took 35 years for Isen Honten to come up with the pork cutlet sandwich better known as Pork Tonkatsu Sando. This is a traditional fried Japanese pork cutlet made with shokupan (Japanese milk bread) and Tonkatsu sauce, which is a complex blend of fruits, vegetables and spices. These pork cutlets are so tender that chopsticks can cut them in half. Isen is the birthplace of the Pork Katsu Sando, which in turn is the predecessor of the Wagyu Katsu Sando invented as a takeaway gift by Kentaro “Henry” Nakahara at Sumibi Yakiniku Nakahara.
