Both mom and little nugget have never been to Kichijōji (吉祥寺) their whole life. With two more days to go before we head back home, I thought it was a great idea to bring them on an exploration trip to Tokyo’s most desirable district to live.
My research indicated that several of my preferred dining destinations in Kichijōji were either closed or fully booked for lunch today. To avoid any complications amidst our tight schedule, I decided to get off a couple of stations earlier in Ogikubo (荻窪) to grab a very quick lunch.
Our lunch venue was Tonkatsu Sora (とんかつ そら〜空〜), a specialty restaurant renowned for its deep-fried pork cutlets made from Kaori Pork (香り豚). Thanks to TableCheck’s online reservation system, I was able to secure a table for us with just a click of a button.
We knew we were in for a treat when we spotted a small line forming in front of the staircase leading to our pork cutlet specialist on the basement level. Fortunately, we had our table secured a week in advance already.
As soon as we stepped through the doors, we were escorted to the table next to the counter bar.
This place didn’t have the smell of a typical tonkatsu restaurant, that oiliness in the air!
I didn’t expect a small restaurant in Ogikubo would have a full English menu. Our young server speaking fluent English was another pleasant surprise.
Shredded cabbage with potato salad
Kaori pork tenderloin cutlet (1,680 yen) – Very meaty but a little bit dry. Overall not bad.
Kaori pork premium loin cutlet (1,880 yen) – The texture was pretty nice with a well-balanced mix of fat and lean meat.
Kaori pork rib roasted cutlet (2,000 yen) – The crown jewel of the Kaori pork was undoubtedly its rib section.
The well-marbled rib cutlet offered a very luxurious mouthfeel, combining tenderness with a rich, juicy flavor that melted in your mouth..
Chicken cutlet (530 yen) – Tonkatsu Sora is far from a one-trick pony as they also offer deep-fried chicken cutlets and shrimps as well. These chicken cutlets were tender and juicy!
Kaori pork is a premium brand of pork from Japan best known for its exceptional flavor, tenderness, and rich umami. The name "Kaori" (香り) means "fragrance" or "aroma" in Japanese, highlighting the pork’s distinctive, pleasant scent and taste. From what I've seen from the looks of my team, everyone thoroughly enjoyed this dining experience.
Food Rating: 6.6/10
Price: ￥￥￥
Address: B1F, 1-8-8 Kamiogi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 167-0043, Japan
Closest Metro Station: Ogikubo
Website: https://www.tonkatsu555.com/
Tel: +81 3-5335-7567
Opening Hours: 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (Tue - Sun), 5:30pm - 10:00pm (Tue, Thu - Sun)
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