Your best katsudon places?

yeah the existing recs are solid but let me throw in marugo in suidobashi. it's this tiny shop run by an old couple, been there for decades and they do a katsudon where the pork is fried twice so it stays crunchy even under the egg. about 950 yen and they only serve like 8 people at a time so timing matters

another one i don't see mentioned is tonkatsu katsukura in shinjuku, it's a chain but their katsudon uses a lighter batter and they give you this sesame seed mortar to grind yourself. not the most authentic experience but the quality is consistent and it's open late which helps if you're exploring all day

for a summer visit i'd actually steer clear of anything too heavy, the light dashi style from sakura or the twice-fried crunch from marugo would both hold up better in the heat. just avoid anything near takadanobaba station, those cheap places use thin cut pork that gets rubbery fast

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honestly for something a bit different try Maisen in Omotesando. they do a really good hire-katsu (fillet cut) with their original sauce, it's lighter than the usual tonkatsu style katsudon. a bit pricier at like 1800 yen but the quality's there

if u wanna go old school though, Katsudon Yoshiba in Shinjuku is the move. it's a tiny spot near Yotsuya 3-chome station, run by this older couple. their katsudon comes in a clay pot and it's got that real homestyle taste. prob 20 mins from Shinjuku station on foot

for Yokohama, there's a place called Katsumidori in Kannai. they do a black pork katsudon that's pretty unique. the meat's from Kagoshima, super tender. get there before 12 on weekdays or u'll be waiting

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ngl the best katsudon i've had in tokyo is at a place called Katsudon Chiyo in Ningyocho. it's a 3 min walk from the station, tiny shop with maybe 8 seats. they do this thing where they lightly fry the egg so it's still runny on top but the bottom gets that custardy texture from soaking in the broth. the owner's a former soba chef so the dashi base is next level

if you're open to going a bit further, there's Katsudon Yamato in Yokosuka. yeah it's like an hour from Shinjuku but the navy town influence means they serve it with a side of demi-glace sauce if you ask. weird combo but it works, especially if you want something different from the usual soy-based style. about 1100 yen for a solid portion

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if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping

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kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.

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tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.

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