Katsu Hama
Katsu is some of my favorite Japanese food. It’s basically crispy, fried pork cutlets served with a savory sauce. We decided to try this restaurant because it was close to where we were in Midtown. This type of food generally is not overly expensive like other Japanese foods, and it’s pretty filling too. And for whatever reason, the pork cutlets are always really good and hearty too. I’ve also been able to come back to this restaurant several times solo and was able to be seated without much issues.
Ambiance & Service
The restaurant is pretty small, and it can be loud especially if you come here solo. The solo area, if there are 2 or more people, can be pretty tight elbow to elbow. Yet in most cases, people eating here know that it’s a very solo friendly spot. If you happen to get seated at the tables, it’s a little more roomy.
The service generally is pretty fast. I usually stick to the pork cutlets and do not really venture to the curry or sushi items.
Food
The Berkshire pork cutlet is basically a slightly fattier piece compared to a regular pork cutlet. There’s a layer of fat on the edges that goes well with the crust. There really isn’t anything particular different as far as I can identify from other katsu places. I suppose at dinner, they give you unlimited rice and salad. The dressing is pretty good. It’s that typical orangey zesty and citrus flavored sauce. The katsu does come with the katsu sauce. If you don’t see it, just ask for it. Definitely try it without the sauce though because there is some flavor in the pork and the crust if you have the palette for it.
The Gozen meal set with the pork cutlet comes with rice, miso soup, potato salad, small appetizer, and a small bowl of sesame seeds. They give you a mortar and pestle to grind the seeds. The small appetizer was kind of odd. It looked like a cucumber but it had the texture of an egg plant. It was a little slimy and not too great.
The saba shioyaki is basically grilled salt mackerel with grated Japanese radish and lemon. There wasn’t anything particular great on this in my opinion, and the fish came with a lot of bones. I would have much preferred getting the chikuwa cheese (fish cake with cheese) or maybe karaage.
Final Verdict
All in all though, I thought this place was rather inexpensive compared to some of my normal outings, and is a great place to go to for a quick laid back after work dinner. This is probably one of the few katsu specialized places in the city.
Yelp Jabs
Service: Server was useless when we asked him what were popular choices on the menu and what he liked to eat. He answered in a way that made it seem like he hadn’t tried anything on the menu and seemed a little condescending
The server usually is just there to take your order. They are not obligated to answer what they like to eat. It’s not a Denny’s.
Ordered the 150 g. Berkshire Pork Loin Cutlet Gozen Set Meal for pick up. The dish came with a side of miso soup, rice, potato salad and sesame seed. The pork tasted good and tender, but really fatty.
That’s kind of your fault for not doing your research on the difference between the Berkshire pork loin and regular pork loin. As always with many Yelp Elitists, they punish the restaurant for their own ignorance.
Revisions
- Jun 11, 2019 - Initial revision.