In Japan, you can find many restaurants that specialize in tonkatsu (fried pork). But when you are on the go or near station and feel hungry, one place that you can depend on for tasty fried tonkatsu is Saboten.
With over 330 restaurants throughout Japan, Saboten wanted to bring their delicious tonkatsu to neighborhoods and thus started Saboten Delica restaurants.
While located in various areas throughout Japan, the one I went to is across the street from Kami-Igusa Station.
The company opened back in 1976 and despite having regular stores, their promotion was through word of mouth until they released their first commercial in 2007.
You can order food like their tender Sangen-Mugibuta Rohsu-katsu, their fried chicken marinated in ginger & soy sauce, their Hokkaido Croquette made from potatoes from Hokkaido. Their fried shrimp, bite-sized hire-katsu, crab meat croquette and their most popular offering, the special hire-katsu and more!
The food is absolutely delicious and for me, it’s been a place I like to visit each time in Japan because it’s like comfort food, great price and you can eat and go. Whereas a lot of Tokyo restaurants, a tonkatsu restaurant can set you back Y3000-Y5000, going to a Saboten Delica, you can spend over Y500 or around Y1000. And their plate dishes are around Y700-900.
Overall, if you are walking in a neighborhood and pass by a Saboten Delica or Saboten restaurant, definitely give their tonkatsu a try!
