耶蘇
"When it comes to katsudon in Fukuoka, you really have to go to 'Yagura' as my senior said." So, despite the hot and humid weather shortly after the start of the rainy season, I walked quite a distance to try it out. However, even though it was said to be located in the building behind the Hakata Ward Office, there was no sign of it. I saw a sign for an underground dining area at the corner of a side road leading to the ward office, so I went down the stairs to check it out, but there was no sign of any restaurants. Nevertheless, as I walked a little further, I saw what looked like a dimly lit shop in a corner. "Ah, this must be it," I thought. The shop had a traditional folk style with old-fashioned food samples displayed, and the door was left open for ventilation, but there was only one other customer inside. Despite knowing that it gets crowded during lunchtime, I visited a little after 1 pm, but having only one other customer made the place feel eerily quiet. Combined with the desolate atmosphere of the underground area, I hesitated to enter. "But hey, I've come this far!" I thought, so I mustered up the courage to go in. The interior of the shop had a traditional folk style, reminiscent of a soba shop from the Showa era, with an inviting atmosphere that seemed approachable to the average salaryman. However, at that time, just after lunchtime, the surroundings, along with the shop's ambience, gave off a somewhat post-festival-like loneliness. The most popular item on the menu was the 'katsudon' for 750 yen. It was slightly more expensive than the mini udon or soba set, but I decided to order it on its own. Surprisingly, it was served in about 3-4 minutes, indicating that it was indeed a popular spot during lunchtime. "Hmm, the color is a bit off," I thought as I removed the lid, revealing a dark soy-sauce colored egg topping. I felt a bit uneasy even before tasting it, as it reminded me of a negative experience in the past. "Hmm, it's not as bad as it looks," I thought after taking a bite. The sweetness was decent, the dashi was well-prepared, and the flavor was rich and robust. While it may seem overly intense, there was a depth of umami that attracted many customers. The egg topping was cooked well, although slightly overdone, it retained a soft texture that would be appreciated by those who prefer slightly runny eggs. However, the pork cutlet was lacking. It was thin, overcooked, and somewhat tough, bordering on bitterness. It lacked fattiness and had a lean texture, which may have contributed to the overall dissatisfaction. Considering the lunchtime rush, they probably pre-fry a large quantity of cutlets, possibly exceeding dozens or even hundreds per day. But as a long-standing establishment of over 40 years, I would expect them to pay more attention to the quality. The side pickles were standard, and the miso soup had a strong saltiness with a unique flavor from the chili and small dried fish, which I didn't mind. Apologies for the critical tone, but with a better pork cutlet, the overall rating would have been higher. As it was, I would give it a neutral score of 3.0 on a personal scale."