I visited a restaurant that I had previously been taken to at night, but this time I tried it for lunch. I already knew the fried chicken was delicious, but I was really intrigued by the thick-cut pork cutlet set meal, so I chose that! The low-temperature cooked pork cutlet was amazing, and it was delicious both with sauce and just with salt. I even got a craving to try it with wasabi!

Located on the second floor of a building in an area bustling with many restaurants, just a five-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station, I visited this shop on a Thursday evening with a reservation. I arrived around 7:30 PM, and the overall occupancy of the restaurant was about 50%, so it seems relatively easy to find a seat on a weekday night. Additionally, it's great that there are counter seats available for solo diners, alongside table seating. I ordered a variety of seafood dishes a la carte, including sashimi, tuna katsu, namero (a type of minced fish), oden (a hot pot dish), and finished with seafood chazuke (rice with tea). Each dish was slightly on the salty side, designed to pair well with drinks, but the portion sizes for the seafood were quite generous. The freshness of the sashimi was exceptionally high, making it a good value for money. The namero and tuna katsu, which are not dishes commonly made at home, were also delicious. While the atmosphere might not be upscale, it’s a place where you can enjoy flavors and the freshness of seafood that exceed the price you pay.

One day, while browsing Instagram for gourmet spots around Ikebukuro, I came across a video of a restaurant called "pon屋" where someone was having lunch. Oh! It's right above the electronics store Anytime and Mizawa! I've been working in Ikebukuro for 14 years, and I had no idea there was an izakaya above Anytime and Mizawa. By the way, this building is also called Tomizawa Building. As I entered the restaurant, I wondered what "pon屋" meant... Inside, the atmosphere was wonderful. The walls were beautifully plastered by a craftsman, creating a very cozy space overall. The hand-written recommendation pops were also very charming. The lunch was delicious and overall it was a great experience. I felt warm and fuzzy discovering that there are ways to find hidden gems like this.

I had a delicious lunch of rosu tonkatsu (pork cutlet) set meal with minimal fat. The tonkatsu was beautifully pink and exceptional in taste. While I wish the shredded cabbage had been a bit finer, I am very satisfied with the quality for this price. I would like to go back again.

I went without a reservation, and luckily there was space available. Everything was delicious! I arrived a bit late, and the staff seemed a little tipsy, but they all provided wonderful service. There’s also a counter, so it’s easy to go alone. The tuna had a slight graininess, but it was still good. The firefly squid marinated in salt koji was my first time trying it, and it was incredibly delicious. I could eat just that! The katsu sandwich was drinkable. The mackerel namero was plump and the best I've had. I absolutely want to come back to this place in Ikebukuro. Thank you for the meal!

I was drawn in by a sign on the street and headed up the stairs to the second floor. It’s an izakaya at night, and the curry looked tempting, but I found myself craving miso, so I ordered the Miso Katsu Set (1,120 yen). The freshly fried serving was a good size—not too big, but just right to enjoy. The pork cutlet was tender and crispy, and it paired wonderfully with the miso, making for a great meal. While the rice and miso soup felt a bit small in portion, the rice was delicious and they offered unlimited refills. You could also get more cabbage if you wanted. Next time, I think I’ll try the Katsu Curry. Thank you for the meal!

Today, I came here. A little while ago, I fell in love at first sight with the visuals of tonkatsu, so I decided to visit. I arrived at 11:30 AM, told the staff how many people were with me, and was seated at a table. I was given a hand towel and checked the menu. I was thinking about ordering the pork loin cutlet set meal, but I was enchanted by the allure of curry (laughs). I ended up following both definitions of "if in doubt" and ordered the special curry rice (700 yen) along with a 100g pork loin cutlet topping (390 yen). When they asked me about the rice portion, I inquired how much a regular portion was, and was told it was a bit on the generous side. I requested the regular size. The barley tea is self-service. After waiting for about 5 minutes, my order arrived. Wow! The pork loin cutlet is indeed a lovely pink color! Now, let's dig in. Starting with the pork loin cutlet… hmmm… there's a bit more sinew than I'd like. It's tasty, but a little tough. The curry rice has a rich, thick sauce, which is delicious, and while enjoying the pork cutlet and curry, I found that I might have too much rice left (laughs). The salad was just shredded cabbage, but the cuts were a bit rough. I dressed it with sesame dressing. The miso soup and pickles were just average. I finished everything. Overall, the kitchen and the dining area were efficiently managed by young female staff who were lively and worked quickly. Despite the low-temperature cooking of the pork cutlet, it was served surprisingly fast. Thank you for the meal!

Appetizer of pickled eggplant, a platter of assorted appetizers (duck meat, shirasu and broccoli in garlic oil, sweet potato and dried fish potato salad), bonito flakes French fries, a daily selection of three types of fresh fish, rare tuna cutlet, steamed vegetables in a bamboo steamer, pickles, octopus wasabi with tororo cucumber, shiitake mushroom and shrimp burger, fried octopus, grilled camembert cheese with wasabi and bonito flakes, two glasses of shiso highball, green tea highball, corn tea highball. The sashimi was thick and delicious.

This is a pork cutlet restaurant located at the East Exit of Ikebukuro. The pork loin cutlet set meal is 1,080 yen, and the cutlet is beautifully pink. It's cooked using low-temperature techniques, so it's safe to eat. The meat is tender and delicious, and the batter is just to my liking. You can get refills of rice, cabbage, and miso soup. The portion of meat is substantial, and the price is amazing. I’ve definitely decided to come back. This is my favorite pork cutlet restaurant!

The dish is served with a thin coating and a pink filling! Wow! It feels soft when you pick it up with chopsticks. When it goes into my mouth, I’m surprised by how soft it is! The sauce is great, the salt is just right, and the miso soup isn’t too salty—it’s just perfect. I find myself craving it again just by remembering it. I’m also curious about the ginger pork!

I had a pork cutlet set meal for lunch. The meal includes all-you-can-eat cabbage, miso soup, and rice. The miso soup is made with cabbage, which I found to be quite unique. It seems they use low-temperature cooking, as the cutlet is tender and easy to eat. Personally, I thought it was unusual to have cabbage in miso soup.

I found another gem... Just near Ikebukuro South Park, there's a place called Pon-ya, and their lunch set is amazing. The signature pork cutlet set comes with a surprising 1.5 pieces of cutlet for just 1,080 yen, and I heard that's even after a price increase! The inside is slightly pink, which is nice, and it has a perfectly crispy texture. I was shocked by how crunchy the coating was. The pork is thick, juicy, and the quality of the fat is excellent, with a mild flavor and a pleasant aftertaste. Be careful because it makes you want to eat too much rice! You should definitely check it out! Menu: - Pork Cutlet Set: ¥1,080 Crowd Information: - Customer demographics: - Arrived on a weekday at 11:31, no waiting - Arrival time: 11:31 - Food served: 11:42 - Female:Male ratio = 3:7 Recommended occasions: - Alone...◎ - With friends...◎ - Group dinner...◎ - Meetings, business...〇 - Date...×

I have been curious about this restaurant for a while, so I finally decided to visit for lunch. Since my favorite place for tonkatsu is nearby, I opted for the chicken karaage instead. The karaage comes as a set of four pieces, with the option to choose a combination of thigh or breast meat. The karaage lunch soon arrived, accompanied by a side of shredded cabbage with a bit of mayonnaise, a bowl of miso soup, and some pickles, which were store-bought tsukemono. Unfortunately, the rice was dry and not tasty, and the miso soup lacked flavor. The main point, the karaage, was unfortunately disappointing. First, the batter was too hard—perhaps it was over-fried, making it quite crunchy. Additionally, it was overly salty. While it's nice that the flavor was absorbed, the saltiness was excessive. The most off-putting aspect was the strong ginger flavor. This could be a matter of personal taste, but the ginger seemed to have a bad aftertaste, possibly indicating that they used tube ginger paste, which suggests they might be using a commercial-grade ginger product. As a result, the aftertaste was unpleasant. The breast meat had a slightly milder ginger taste, but as soon as it entered my mouth, it had a flavor similar to rice crackers—perhaps they used rice flour or something similar? Usually, karaage is delicious, but this was regrettable. It might just not have suited my taste. I probably won't return.

I have visited Ponya twice in the evening, but I've heard that their lunch is also delicious, so I decided to visit for lunch this time. I was determined to have curry today. After being seated at the counter, I quickly ordered the curry (700 yen). Since I wanted to add a topping, I asked the staff for recommendations, and they suggested the pork loin cutlet (390 yen), so I ordered that as well. The curry arrived shortly after. It came with a generous serving of cabbage salad, miso soup, and shibazuke (pickled vegetables). The curry was on the sweeter side but had a rich flavor, which was delicious. The highlight was definitely the pork loin cutlet. It was fantastic. The cutlet had just the right amount of fat, not too lean, and was lightly breaded and crispy. I could easily keep eating it. I was very satisfied. Thank you for the meal!

I visited the restaurant for lunch and ordered curry and a pork cutlet (700+390). I requested a smaller portion of rice. I was pleased to receive a cloth napkin as part of the lunch menu. The cutlet was fried to a slightly rare consistency, which is my favorite way to have it. It was very delicious, even better than some specialty tonkatsu restaurants. As for the curry, it had a somewhat instant-food taste. The rice (excluding the curry), cabbage, and miso soup are all free to refill. The staff were also very friendly.

Appetizers: Pickled vegetables, Pine Highball, Black tea highball, Yodare chicken, Jellyfish sashimi highball, Stick vegetables with Japanese-style dip, Rare tuna cutlet, Grilled sea bream, Hojicha highball, Corn tea highball. During payment: I received clam soup, which was comforting. The vegetable sticks were fresh and delicious.

This is my second visit, but since the first place felt more like a pre-party, I arrived here quite hungry. It's my second time at Pon-ya, and it has a warm atmosphere popular with regulars. However, that vibe also made me, a first-time visitor, feel comfortable. There’s a lovely, unpretentious warmth among the regulars. The food is consistently delicious, and pairs well with sake. My personal recommendation is the request menu for the last dish. You can ask for rice or pasta, whatever you prefer. Since it was a cold day, I requested warm rice. What came out was a dish of rice cooked in a clay pot topped with fish marinated in a sweet soy sauce. It was incredibly delicious. Thank you for the meal!

I went out for lunch hoping to try the pork cutlet that I saw in photos, but unfortunately, all pork dishes were sold out that day. Since I was in the mood for fried food, I ordered the fried chicken set meal. You can choose the amount of thigh and breast meat according to your preference. It seems that cabbage and rice are free to refill. The fried chicken thigh had a strong seasoning and was juicy, while the breast meat was full of texture, crispy on the outside, and moist without any weird dryness. It was delicious. The counter had dividers made from seasonings between each seat, which allowed for a more relaxed seating arrangement. However, the waitress who brought my food had long nails painted bright red! That was a bit off-putting. I know it might be an old-fashioned view, but I still believe cleanliness is important in a restaurant... Thank you for the meal!

I attended a banquet related to work. It had been a while since I was at a gathering with over ten people, and it seemed we had only reserved seats for à la carte. I got so caught up in conversation that I regrettably missed out on the delicious dishes that were being served. The sashimi was thick, and the grilled fish was firm and flavorful. I realized I couldn't leave without having something to eat, so I ordered the rice cooked in a clay pot as a finale, and what a delicious dish it turned out to be! The sweet sauce and fish were incredibly appetizing. Next time, I want to take my time and fully enjoy the food. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

After a meeting with a client, I went in with my boss around 2 PM, and there was only one two-person table available. I imagine it might have been fully booked with a queue if we had gone in just after noon… I ordered the pork loin cutlet set meal for ¥1,080, which comes with unlimited refills on rice and miso soup. I usually dislike fatty pork, but my boss informed me that this dish has less fat, so I ordered it without hesitation! What I received was indeed a pork cutlet with minimal fat and a lovely rosy color. The taste was light and just to my liking. If I could mention just one thing, the essential side of thinly shredded cabbage that accompanies cutlet meals was more like “cabbage in 500 cuts” rather than the fine shreds I prefer. I would have liked it to be thinner and more fluffed up. However, considering the price, being able to enjoy such a cutlet is quite rare!