High-value tonkatsu rice set in Kyoto – unlimited rice, miso soup, and shredded cabbage with your meal

Text and photos byCavanagh

Nicknamed "Meidai Tonkatsu" in Taiwan, Meidai Tonkatsu Katsukura is a famous tonkatsu chain in Kyoto. The prices are affordable, the pork cutlets are delicious, and best of all, you can refill your shredded cabbage, miso soup, and rice as much as you want – making it, in my opinion, the highest value-for-money restaurant in Kyoto.

While writing this article, I took the opportunity to look up what "Meidai" actually means. According to Japanese Wikipedia, in ancient Japan during the Kofun period, "Meidai" referred to a group of officials who served close to the emperor, and it also carries the meaning of “representative” or “proxy.” When used before a store name or food item, "Meidai" indicates a high level of quality or reputation, essentially meaning it's a "famous specialty."

Meidai Tonkatsu has fourteen branches across the Kansai region, and this time I visited its main branch on Sanjo Street — Sanjo Honkan. Located in the covered arcade of Kyoto’s Sanjo Shopping Street, the entrance to the shop is extremely narrow. If you have poor eyesight (like me), you might wander around for ages and still not find the entrance.

The menu and food models at the storefront.

Walking through a long hallway, we arrived at the entrance of Meidai Tonkatsu Sanjo Honkan.

That day, because the shop was quite crowded and I didn’t feel comfortable taking pictures of other customers, I didn’t photograph the interior. In short, although the entrance is tiny, the inside of Sanjo Honkan is surprisingly spacious and deep, with plenty of seating (even so, there’s often a long line outside Meidai Tonkatsu – a testament to its popularity).

The menu: Meidai Tonkatsu offers various cutlet options based on portion size and cut. I usually go for the basic tonkatsu, and for portion size, I choose 120 grams (770 yen).

Originally, the price of Meidai Tonkatsu included rice and miso soup as part of a set meal. However, when I went back in early 2014, they had changed to an à la carte system where you order the pork cutlet separately and then choose whether to add a "Sen Set" (which is actually slightly more expensive than before – a sneaky price hike). The "Sen Set" includes rice, miso soup, and shredded cabbage, and the best part? Unlimited refills on everything – it’s such great value for money.

Grinding your own sesame seeds is another signature experience at Meidai Tonkatsu.

The sauces on offer: yuzu sauce (for the shredded cabbage), dark soy sauce, and tonkatsu sauce.

It was really cold that day, so we also ordered oden to go with our meal.

My 120-gram tonkatsu.

With one bite into the crispy exterior, juicy pork burst out. The tonkatsu here has a perfectly crisp crust, tender and juicy meat on the inside, and is simply delicious. After getting used to Japan’s top tonkatsu restaurants, going back to Taiwan and eating dry, lackluster “Japanese-style pork cutlets” is almost unbearable.

The shredded cabbage – I highly recommend it. The crisp cabbage paired with sweet and tangy yuzu sauce is absolutely addictive. Every time I go, I refill my plate of cabbage several times (the staff will even ask if you want more once you finish it). The cabbage alone could have me eating multiple bowls of rice.

The rice and miso soup. They give you a small bucket of rice right from the start — a female food blogger known as “Princess Anne the Foodie” once claimed she could eat an entire bucket by herself (!!!). The miso soup is also worth mentioning: aside from tofu and seaweed, it comes loaded with fresh clams, making it quite luxurious for an add-on side.

The rice – I can usually eat two to three bowls, and when the bucket’s empty, you can get a refill.

Final verdict: Delicious, affordable, and the highest value-for-money restaurant in Kyoto. Highly recommended.

Information about Meidai Tonkatsu Katsukura Sanjo Branch in Kyoto:
Business hours: Weekdays and Sundays: 11:00–21:30 (last order 21:00), Saturdays: 11:00–22:00 (last order 21:30)
Closed: None
Access: Get off at Kyoto City Bus stop “Kawaramachi-Sanjō,” a three-minute walk

Cavanagh @ Kyoto – A free-spirited stay

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