I found out that Tonkatsu Aoi opened a branch in Akasaka, so I decided to visit the restaurant. The number of their locations in Tokyo has significantly increased. When I went there on a holiday night, surprisingly, the restaurant was not very crowded. Since the shop is located underground, it might be that many people don't notice it. They are using the same space where Suzuoni used to be. Unusually for Tonkatsu Aoi, it seems they are open on Sundays as well. The menu is the same as at other locations. Today, I ordered the premium loin cutlet set meal. About 20 minutes after placing my order, the premium loin cutlet set meal was brought to my table. The cutlet had a beautifully golden-brown color, and the inside was slightly pink. I enjoyed it alongside rice, miso soup, and shredded cabbage. The loin cutlet can be paired with rock salt, mustard, sauce, and lemon. I first tried it plain and found it to be a delicious loin cutlet, with juicy fat and tender meat. It had a good amount of fat, allowing me to savor its sweetness. By combining rock salt and lemon or mustard, the flavors of the loin cutlet were enhanced even more. The rock salt varied between pink rock salt and Okinawan rock salt to create different taste experiences. I also enjoyed the rice, pork miso soup, and shredded cabbage. The rice was cooked slightly firmer, giving it a light flavor. The pork miso soup had large-cut ingredients and a nice ginger aroma as an accent. The onion had melted into the soup, and the sweetness from the onion and miso made it delicious. The shredded cabbage had a fine cut, resulting in a fluffy texture. For the loin cutlet, I had the fatty pieces with rock salt and the meaty parts with rock salt and sauce. The sweet sauce didn’t overpower the umami of the loin cutlet. Given the generous amount of fat, it was a satisfying loin cutlet experience. I haven’t found it yet, so I’d like to return soon.

It's Wednesday night in Akasaka. I'm thinking of treating myself to some tonkatsu after a long time, so I made a reservation at "Tonkatsu Arai" through Tabelog. The main branch in Kamata is known as one of the top hundred restaurants, but it's always fully booked, so I decided to aim for this branch instead. When I went down the stairs to the basement and entered, I was seated at the counter. I looked over the menu and ordered the special loin cutlet set (300g). While wiping my hands with a wet towel, I noticed a poster on the wall that caught my eye. Wow! They also have oysters, snow crab, and shrimp available as separate items... What should I do? I want to have them all, but 300g of pork is a lot... well, I guess I can indulge a little since I just had a blood test at lunch, right? Hehe. But then again, I'm an old man over sixty, so I reminded myself not to overdo it, following the faint remnants of my reason and the advice of my late wife. I reluctantly decided on shrimp tempura—just two pieces, though! I mean, I have to enjoy this because I'm part Russian (just kidding about being Russian). While sipping cold barley tea and watching the wall-mounted TV, my meal arrived shortly after. First, I got rice and tonjiru (pork miso soup). I believe it was Niigata Koshihikari rice—definitely delicious. The tonjiru was packed with daikon radish, carrots, and plenty of pork, which was great too. Then, the star of the show arrived. Wow, it was beautifully golden! It reminded me of the wonderful appearance of actress Masako Natsume. The two pieces of shrimp tempura arrived on a separate plate. They were long, although given the size of the tails, they must have been stretched thin. Anyway, when I picked up the center of the loin cutlet, it was thick and juicy. I brought my little mouth close and managed to take a bite. Mmm, the meat was sweet and tender, and the frying technique was perfect! Plus, the sauce—a slightly Worcester-style with ginger flavor—was a great match! Oh no, I almost forgot! The plate had truffle salt on it. But seriously, tonkatsu should be eaten with sauce! Regardless, I decided to sprinkle some of that truffle salt on my rice. Oh, it didn’t go well with the rice... I had eaten about half of the loin cutlet when I switched to the shrimp tempura, generously adding tartar sauce before diving in. Yes, just as I imagined, they were like Ayumi Ishida—oh, you don’t know who that is? How about Mirei Kiritani then? I don’t particularly have interest in curvy women, but shrimp tempura is different. After all, that crispy coating is so delicious! With those silly thoughts in my head, I enjoyed a truly happy dinner. I finished off my meal with a sip of tonjiru and said, “Thank you for the meal!” My rating: 3.58.

I had tonkatsu in Akasaka! I was recommended by an acquaintance to come here. I ordered the special loin cutlet. - The loin cutlet was not too fatty, very tender, and easy to chew. Even as someone who often experiences digestive issues and has a small appetite, I could eat it without any problem (though it is tonkatsu, so there is a lot of oil, haha). - There were many types of salt for a flavor change. The rice had a slightly soft texture. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal!

The pork cutlet is delicious, but the salt is even better. However, the cutlet absorbed the moisture from the cabbage, which made the coating not as crispy as I had hoped—this was disappointing. I try to write my thoughts as honestly as possible. While I include details about the restaurant's atmosphere as supplementary information, I primarily rate based on how good the food is or how the price matches the quality (since you can usually get something decent if you're willing to pay).

I've been to Ippecoppe a few times, but this was my first visit to Tonkatsu Aki. I was able to fully enjoy the flavor of the pork. It was delicious! The single order of fried oysters I ordered was also tasty. I definitely want to visit again. Thank you for the meal! m(_ _)m

I really used to visit the Kamata location a lot during my student days, so it makes me happy to see that this place still exists. The Akasaka location is in a mixed-use building with an entrance that's a bit tucked away, which is somewhat concerning, but I suppose the main store is similar, so it’s not surprising. The tonkatsu is consistently delicious... but maybe it’s because I’ve eaten at places like Imakatsu that serve amazing cuts, so the initial excitement I felt the first time I tried it has faded a bit. Even so, it’s still really tasty.

At Akasaka, there's a restaurant called Aoi. It’s located in a competitive lunch area and is a bit hard to find since it’s on the basement level of a building. The sign on the sidewalk serves as a marker. When I arrived for a slightly late weekday lunch, the place was about 70% full. The narrow interior felt a bit cramped, but there were both counter and table seating available. There were two staff members who were quite efficient. Today, I chose the reliable pork cutlet set meal. It seemed like almost everyone else was ordering the same thing, which made me chuckle. There were also oyster fritters available, fitting for the season. For weekday lunches, they accept cash or PayPay; credit cards incur a service charge. I was curious about the meaning of “weekday lunch time” versus “weekday lunch menu.” I presumed it was more related to the latter. Here, all refills are charged extra. On the table, there were various condiments: three types of salt, sauce, mustard, lemon, soy sauce, chili, and pickles. ▶︎ Ordered item - Pork Cutlet Set: 1200 yen It came with rice, pork miso soup, and cabbage. My order arrived in less than 10 minutes. I didn’t hear much frying sound. The serving size was generally small. The cutlet was thickly sliced, and I wondered if people in Akasaka preferred larger meals, haha. The crispy coating contrasted nicely with the moist and juicy meat. Despite its thickness, it was tender and not tough at all. The fat had a pleasant melt-in-the-mouth quality. It was definitely rich in fat, but the overall impression wasn’t overly heavy. The meat flavor was somewhat subdued, yet the thickness made it more filling than it appeared. The cooking level was just right, and it was delicious. The cabbage, however, was a bit wilted—this was a downside. There didn’t seem to be any dressing available; it appeared that it might be an extra charge. The rice was tasty as usual, and Aoi’s pork miso soup was consistently good too. While the portion was slightly modest, the quality at 1200 yen was appreciated, especially considering the excellent preparation of the cutlet. I’ve been to various Aoi locations, and while each one is a bit different, they consistently deliver quality. In Akasaka, popular eateries like "Masamune" and "Sueyoshi" exist, but I hope Aoi continues to thrive. Thank you for the meal!

I'm very grateful that this place in Akasaka is open for lunch on Sundays for the second time. This time, I ordered the set with fried oysters and pork fillet cutlet. The batter is just as light as before, and the fillet is thick and delicious! I enjoyed it with various types of salt. I also wish I could try the tuna cutlet.

I visited on a weekday at 1 PM. I was lucky enough to get in right away and was able to eat immediately. The slightly rare cooking was perfect, and it was really delicious. I had the lunch loin, but I’d like to try the tenderloin next time. It's definitely worth eating here.

During lunchtime, there always seems to be a wait for a table. This place used to be a ramen shop, and it looks like they haven't changed the layout much. They serve incredibly delicious pork cutlets. The fat is sweet, and the meat is very tender. What sets this place apart from others is that there are separate charges for specialty dressings, rice, and miso soup (which is pork soup here). Unlike many other pork cutlet restaurants, they do not offer free refills.

I was set on going to a restaurant for lunch in Akasaka, but when I saw the long line, I gave up and wandered around aimlessly, when I spotted a sign for Tonkatsu Aki. Since I’ve already been to their locations in Hamamatsucho and Ginza, I thought it would be fine to go here too. I hesitated a bit because of the fat content (more on that later), but I decided to step inside (even though there wasn’t a noren curtain). I ordered the special loin cutlet. Whenever I go to a tonkatsu place, I always order the special loin (except for Kowakurean in Yokohama). The reason I choose the special loin is that to achieve the meaty flavor I’m looking for, a good balance of fat and thickness is important. I’m not specifically trying to eat 300g, but regular lunch or loin sets often come thin, which doesn't appeal to me. After about ten minutes, my special loin arrived, and indeed, it was that special loin. It was a little pink and rare. Since I’m not a fan of that, I would have asked for a "well-cooked" option if the restaurant had been less crowded, but out of respect during lunch hours, I refrained from doing so. I tasted it with salt. The fat melted in my mouth, and it was quite soft. This was still within the range of what I could consider acceptable, so I continued eating. However, as I progressed, it started to cool down. Once it cooled, the rare cut became less enjoyable. To be honest, I felt like leaving some on the plate. I ended up finishing it, but I think I won’t crave it again for at least a year. Since there’s also a place called Imakatsu nearby that serves delicious chicken cutlets, I might go there next time I’m in the mood for tonkatsu…

I have visited Tonkatsu Ikko and Ippokoppe many times, but I hadn't been to Akira much before. Today, I had the special loin for ¥2300, with an extra large bowl of rice for an additional ¥100, and grated wasabi for ¥100. The cutlet at Akira was fried to a level I really like, and it was delicious. I think good tonkatsu pairs really well with salt. The Himalayan rock salt they serve at Akira and Ippokoppe has a unique, hot spring-like aroma and goes perfectly with the cutlet. I mainly enjoyed the cutlet with the Manach rock salt, and I also tried a little bit with soy sauce, sauce, and lemon salt. Everything was very tasty. Thank you for the meal!

⚫︎ Aoki is rapidly expanding, and before I knew it, they opened a store in Akasaka! ⚫︎ Aoki is known for its superb weekday lunch deals. Some locations offer this, while others don't, but the Akasaka branch definitely does. ⚫︎ I tried the Pork Loin Katsu Set (170g) for 1,200 yen. ⚫︎ The meat is smooth with a great texture, and the fat is light; the pork loin is coated in a crispy, lighter batter. It's incredibly delicious. ⚫︎ I usually find that Aoki's 170g servings feel quite large compared to others. ⚫︎ Personally, I prefer my tonkatsu with salt, but Aoki's sauce is also fantastic. ⚫︎ The pork soup and rice also maintain an excellent level of deliciousness. ⚫︎ As always, it's an amazing value for the quality!

This is a relatively famous tonkatsu chain in the city center. Despite being located underground, the Akasaka branch seems to be quite popular. I requested the Aki course for dinner. It included small portions of fried pork loin, shoulder, tenderloin, rib loin, chicken breast, and oysters from Hiroshima, all served fresh and hot, along with rice and tonjiru (pork miso soup), ending with ice cream. The quality of the tenderloin cutlet was particularly superb, and I'd like to challenge myself next time to focus solely on the tenderloin cutlet. The service was also very pleasant, and I look forward to visiting this restaurant again. Thank you for the meal!

Half ribeye cutlet set meal. 2000 yen. Even the half portion has 200g, so I was full. The small underground restaurant was cozy, and since I went at 5 PM, I was the only customer, which made it comfortable to eat. A local evening news segment was playing on the TV.

This is a tonkatsu shop that recently opened in a location that was previously a ramen restaurant. I ordered the mixed cutlet lunch set on a weekday. The pork loin was thick and of good quality. The pork fillet, perhaps because it was smaller, seemed average. I found that eating it with salt rather than sauce enhances the flavor. There were two types of salt available. The pork soup was also delicious.

This cozy tonkatsu restaurant is located in the basement of a famous ramen shop that used to be there. They offer a lunchtime-only roast pork cutlet set meal. Unlike many tonkatsu places, they do not have free refills for rice, cabbage, or miso soup. The cutlet itself was substantial, and I felt full afterward. Although the fat wasn’t unpleasant, it did become a bit too rich towards the end.

It's a 2-3 minute walk from Akasaka Station. I made a reservation for 5:30 PM on a holiday, and when I arrived, the place was nearly full, so it’s safer to make a reservation. The premium loin and premium tenderloin from Hayashi SPF were both delicious. I had the premium tenderloin cutlet set meal with extra rice and the premium loin cutlet set meal with a chicken tender.

I have been to quite a few tonkatsu restaurants in Tokyo, and I've been curious about Aki for a while. Luckily, since it was a holiday, I was able to get in without waiting. I ordered the recommended loin cutlet and enjoyed half of it with salt. The fatty part was incredibly tender, melting in my mouth with a sensation unlike any tonkatsu I've had before. If you love loin cutlets, I highly recommend this place!

I ordered the mixed cutlet set for lunch, which is available on weekdays for ¥1600. It's great that I can enjoy both the loin and tenderloin. Both the loin and the tenderloin were tender, and the fat was delicious. Although it's a combined weight of 200g, it was quite filling and satisfied my hunger.

I went to the office today, so I decided to have lunch at a nearby restaurant. There was one customer waiting in the basement of the building, so I joined the line. I ordered the "Mixed Katsu Set Menu" for 1,600 yen, which is a weekday lunch special. Since it was a mix, I was able to enjoy both pork loin and tenderloin, making it a great deal. The portion was quite generous, and it was very delicious. The miso soup that came with it was also good and warmed me up. I will definitely visit again.