Kimukatsu and the 25-Layer Tonkatsu

Several months ago when I did my previous post about tonkatsu, I talked about the various kinds of tonkatsu you can get in Tokyo. One of my Japanese friends told me that I should try a place called Kimukatsu (キムカツ) which is famous for tonkatsu made not from one piece of pork cutlet, but rather 25 layers of thinly sliced pork stacked together and deep fried. Earlier this week, I finally got the chance to check out the main branch in Ebisu with two other friends.

Tonkatsu: A Tale of Two Pork Cutlets

Tonkatsu. Pork cutlet covered with Japanese-style bread crumbs (panko) and deep fried. It sounds so simple and straightforward that I have to wonder: how different could tonkatsu be from restaurant to restaurant? How do chefs distinguish theirs from the others? These are the questions I explored during my recent trips to two tonkatsu restaurants in the Tokyo area.