Tonkatsu Lunch @ Ginza Bairin, Ginza, Tokyo

 

Touted as one of the best tonkatsu places in this giant city, Ginza Bairin has certainly carved out a strong legacy for itself. Granted, when something is called the best, I am always skeptical. But at the same time, I am always keen on trying something out and seeing if it is worth the hype. After all, this is a very upmarket part of town. So it has to be good I guess?

What a line, and we are only half way there.

Well, I went down to the establishment pretty early, only to be greeted by a long line of hungry patrons. I was lucky as I did not have anything on during that Sunday afternoon. So despite being in a line at 11.45 am, I thought of just joining in. Little did I know the wait ended up being 45 minutes long! 

Choices oh choices...

Fortunately, I was given the menu so I can have browse through and order right away when I arrive at my seat. And being in the upmarket side of Tokyo, the prices really reflect that. However, I am already here and I have waited too long. Might as well follow through with the commitment. There was a huge variety of stuff to try. Despite being a tonkatsu place, the restaurant does have various dishes to serve it. 

Majestic

Spoilt for choice, I opted for the mix teishoku, which consists of fried shrimp, meatballs, and of course the classic fried pork cutlet. The overall meal stood at a very hefty 2100 yen. Ouch! But once the plate of food arrived, I can clearly see that the premium price was justified. Like really justified. Everything was golden brown and cooked to perfection. And being a porky restaurant, I had the tonkatsu first. It was juicy, succulent, and had a good flavour. Well, it is from the famed kurobuta, which is the Japanese black Berkshire. If you like some punch, then there are various condiments you can add to, your experience. Personally the mustard was a good choice and I revisited it several times. 

Well deserved close-up

The breadcrumb coating itself was rather pleasant too. It was not greasy at all and had a satisfying crunch. It was cooked through well without being too loaded with oil. The other companions too did a great job rounding up the meal. The fried shrimp came next. It was a hefty fellow and it took me some effort to carry it using my chopsticks. The flesh of the shrimp was plump and juicy with some slight sweetness as you expect from seafood. A sign of a very fresh piece of seafood indeed. Thoroughly enjoyable. 

Succulent

The meatballs on the other hand were braised rather than deep-fried, thus giving this dish another dimension and personality. They were pretty good too. You can feel the grains of the minced meat travelling through your teeth after every bite. The flavours were pretty rich, with hints of onions in the mince, similar to a hamburg steak. The sauce was deep, rich, and satisfying. It reminds me of gravy from a Sunday roast. I might be wrong but it does taste pretty similar. The only complaint I have was that this entire meal has a small random serving of Napolitan spaghetti. I am never against carb on carbs, seeing that we have rice in tow. However, carb, on carb, on deep fried? Well, that seems to be a bigger ordeal to handle.  Lucky, there was enough fresh cabbage and miso soup to clean everything down. 

Plastic food display on the outside. 

This meal was incredibly satisfying and I can understand how and why Bairin has built its reputation. Is it the best I have tasted? I can't really say. But it was a very good meal to which I give it two thumbs up.  It is unfortunate that I did not take photos of the surroundings, as they are quite particular about the privacy of other guests. Then again as I was well fed, I have no problem obliging. But trust me when I say the interior is really fancy. So if you are a fan of tonkatsu, fried food or just good food in general why not give them a visit? If this has piqued your interest, then the address is as follows: 

7 Chome-8-1 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061

Front of the house.