Ganko Tonkatsu: Meat, Sleep, Repeat
Hello Everyone! Today, I'm excited to share a review for Ganko Tonkatsu in the Namba district of Osaka, Japan. I came here with my whole family. That being said, I think we had to rent out or reserve half the restaurant because we had about 20 people in our group. Thankfully, Ganko Tonkatsu was able to accommodate. Ganko Tonkatsu is known for its... Tonkatsu (surprise!), which is a deep-fried, breaded pork cutlet. There is also a chicken version called Chicken Katsu. Let's get started.
I LOVE Tonkatsu. There's something about hot and juicy pork encased in a crispy, fried exterior. Like even when it's bad, it's still a little bit good. I love how reliable it is. Most Tonkatsu places will serve the dish with a variety of side dishes including miso soup, shredded cabbage, and rice. Ganko Tonkatsu is no different but they also give you a small potato salad, homemade tofu, and some sesame seeds for the Tonkatsu sauce.
You can take advantage of the shredded cabbage if you need to contrast the savory taste of the tonkatsu / katsu with some refreshing vegetables. But, since Ganko Tonkatsu prepares the tonkatsu so well, it won't taste overly oily or fried. Don't forget to enjoy your tonkatsu with some ice cold beer or sake :)
Address: 2 Chome-2-16 Nanbanaka, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0011, Japan
Recommended:
Chicken Katsu
Premium Tonkatsu and Shrimp Tempura
Anyway, let's start talking about all the food we ate. The set came with Miso Soup, which is usually the first thing I go for. It's hot, light, and refreshing. Miso should be the next Guardian of the Galaxy. Why shouldn't it be? Given its amazing health benefits as a fantastic source of vitamin B, its ability to stimulate appetite and strengthen the body's immune system, it's the food that likes to give back.
Next, there was a dope potato salad. Most of the set is either hot or fried. This rich, creamy "salad" contrasts well with the Tonkatsu. That's a salad I could get behind.
Oh my tofu! You can even see its unreal levels of silkiness in the photo. Apparently, Ganko Tonkatsu makes their tofu in-house. You could taste its fresh, milky goodness.
Japanese rice is a gift from angels. It's slightly sticky and firm in texture. I could eat Japanese rice by itself. To me, it's slightly sweet with a light floral scent.
Finally, the Tonkatsu sauce was paired with some sesame seeds. Most of the good Tonkatsu places I've been to have it like this where you can crush the seeds yourself. Then, you can add it to your Tonkatsu sauce for a nice nutty aroma and taste. Tonkatsu sauce is really great on its own. There are so many recipes online and in the market but, generally, it's made of Ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Soy Sauce, Rice Wine, and Sugar. The color is dark brown and it tastes sweet, rich, savory, and tangy. I can't imagine eating Tonkatsu with any other sauce.
I highly recommend the Premium Tonkatsu & Shrimp Tempura or the Chicken Katsu sets. The Premium Tonkatsu uses Kurobuta Pork from the Kagoshima prefecture, which is some of the highest quality pork in the world. This is like the pork version of Kobe / Wagyu beef. Thanks to its absurd marbling levels, the flavor is incredible. Actually, no, it's life-changing. In other countries, you may have seen it's distant relative, the Berkshire pig.
The Kurobuta are basically descendants of the Berkshire pig. However, all Kurobuta are Berkshire but not all Berkshire are Kurobuta. In other words, Kurobuta pigs need to have a very specific type of breeding and feeding to be classified as real Kurobuta.