Tonteki @ Manpuku Shokudo, Hakata Bus Terminal, Fukuoka

 

When it comes to Japanese pork chops, most people will look at tonkatsu. And for good reason. Evenly breaded pork, which has been fried to perfection. Juicy on the inside, but crunchy on the outside. A symbol of perfection. However, this also means that not many people are aware of its cousin, the tonteki. 

A peek inside

Tonteki is essentially the grilled version of tonkatsu. And this means that it does not have that iconic breading which made that fried behemoth globally famous. I hope that does not detract you from trying. Once you get a bite of good tonteki, you are in for a good time. This is where Manpuku shokudo comes in. Located at the 8th floor of the bus terminal, it may be a bit out of the radar for most tourist, but this was at one point a weekly lunch spot for me. It is simple, great value, and just tasty. 

What a classic

Naturally being a tonteki spot, you have to order those chops. My favourite is the spicy miso. Slathered in a spicy sauce and covered with a good slushing of chilli flakes, this is something I go to for some kick. It may look like hellfire and brimstone, but the spice level is somewhat mild. It has a smoky element to it which I like and the sweet and spicy sauce meld well with the juicy and fatty pork. 

What a close up. 

Eating this can be a bit tricky, so to help you out a knife is given so you can cut the pork chop into manageable pieces before wolfing it town. A serious gamer move indeed. A set meal comes with rice, pickles, a bed of cabbage, and miso soup which stands at 1080 yen. Such a bargain, although I did remember a time it was 980 yen. Oh those were good times. 

Serious umami. 

Another flavour I like is the salt based sauce. It has a more vibrant profile to it. The sauce is a bit more zesty and not as overpowering as the chilli sauce I mentioned earlier. It still has some punch as it is a spring onion base sauce. As such, you can taste more of the pork in this one. I also enjoy this equally although I noticed I tend to order the spicy ones more frequently. Honestly, it will depend on the time of the day for me. 

The plastic displays looks as good as the real thing!

Despite saying this is a tonteki place, they do sell tonkatsu. It is pretty decent. However, I felt like there are other places out there that have done better. The strength of this establishment is definitely the sauces they incorporated with their tonteki. I think it is possible to request for those sauces on the tonkatsu, but I never tried. Well, a mystery to solve next time. Speaking of mysteries, if you would like to discover how much food you can eat, this place also does food challenges. If you can wallop a 4kg worth of fried goodies and curry with a 33 cm weiner, why not? 

Front of the house. 

This is one of my favourite hidden gems in the city. Despite that, it is usually loaded with locals who know better. So if you are looking for some porky goodness on a budget and can really fill you up, then this is the place to be. Honestly, you are in for a treat. If this has caught your attention, then the address is as follows:

〒812-0012 Fukuoka, Hakata Ward, Hakataekichuogai, Hakata Bus Terminal, Floor 8