Tonkatsu Koshiro’s omakase offers a rare opportunity to savor a curated selection of Japan’s top heritage pork breeds. The selection features around ten or so rare breeds including Sangen, Duroc, Saddleback and Mangalica. Each cut is hand-selected at the peak of its maturity, ensuring that only the finest versions of the pork make it to the plate.

The course begins with the signature fillet katsu sandwich, where a deep-flavored, tender cutlet is encased in toast crisped on one side. The batter is whisper-thin and shatteringly crisp, complementing the moist pork. A house-made sauce and a creamy coleslaw provide a bright counterpoint. “The first bite should be your best,” Kawabata explains, setting the tone for what follows.

Next is the non-fried pork cutlet salad, a playful interpretation of the classic. The pork is coated in shrimp-infused bamboo charcoal breadcrumbs, cooked at low temperature and served atop a medley of wasabi greens, chrysanthemum petals and red kale. The mascarpone cheese sauce ties the dish together.

The meal moves onto a series of bite-size pork cutlets, where each cut is prepared on the spot, breaded before the guests’ eyes, and fried to order. The pork loin cutlet, featuring Gunma’s Awayuki Pork, is delicate and refined. Named for its snow-white fat, the cut offers a subtle sweetness and is best enjoyed with a simple sprinkling of salt.

The ribeye cutlet, made with Middle White pork, showcases a harmonious balance of fat and lean, with a fine-grained, supple texture. A touch of mustard soy sauce heightens its savory profile. The fillet cutlet, made from Duroc pork, is elegantly understated, its light, creamy fat offering depth of flavor. A dusting of fresh pepper accentuates the natural sweetness of the meat. The shoulder loin cutlet, crafted from Dorobuta pork, a prized Swabian-Hall breed, arrives bathed in a red wine-scented teriyaki sauce. Seasonal vegetables, mashed potatoes and butterbur complete the plate.

The breading technique is work of craftsmanship. The pork is dusted in wheat flour mixed with egg white powder, dipped in a blend of egg and milk, then coated in one of three types of breadcrumbs, each with a different sugar content. For lighter meats like Sangen pork, low-sugar breadcrumbs are used to maintain subtlety and texture. For heartier cuts such as fillet, high-sugar breadcrumbs add the right amount of richness.

Only lard is used for frying, divided between two precise temperatures: a low 90°C and a high 160°C. Select cuts are deep-fried before being rested, allowing residual heat to complete the cooking process. The resulting cutlets are light and crisp, with a depth of flavor and none of the greasiness typically associated with deep-frying.

To wrap up the meal, a bowl of chazuke is served, with belly pork cutlet over rice, topped with green tea, mizuna, tomato, and nori in a delicate broth. The warm soup clears the palate and gently dissolves the residual richness.

Dessert is a delicate homemade warabi mochi, kneaded just before serving, paired with a scoop of house-made ice cream. On this visit, the ice cream was an unexpected blend of banana, ginger, coriander, and black pepper, offering an aromatic, spicy finish to the meal.

INGREDIENTS
At Tonkatsu Koshiro, pork is treated as a singular, noble ingredient, selected with the utmost care and precision. Kawabata sources his pork from a specialist supplier he has worked with for years. Through this relationship, he has access to an extraordinary variety of rare heritage breeds—Sangen, Duroc, Jinhua, Manchu, Saddleback, Mangalica, Middle White, Swabian-Hall and Berkshire among them. Each cut is assessed individually for its condition, fat content and character. Based on these qualities, Kawabata determines the ideal approach: from the choice of breading and the technique of applying the batter, to the frying temperature, exact cooking time and method of draining oil. Every decision is made to ensure that the unique flavor of the breed shines through.