Nakano-shimbashi is an attractive area. Only some 10 minutes by the Marunouchi line from Shinjuku, it was amazingly quiet in comparison to the mania of the city centre. We were told a local speciality in the immediate area was tonkatsu -- pork cutlet, breaded and fried in panko -- and what better meal to kick off our time in Japan.
Matsuya is a chain restaurant selling tonkatsu in various set meal combinations, as well as a short selection of sides, drinks, and so on. At the Nakano-shimbashi branch, a touchscreen vending machine waits immediately by the entrance, with plenty of language options for non-Japanese speakers. You feed your money into the machine (or swipe your Suica card against the reader) and select your food from the interactive menu. Once you press the button to complete your order, it spits out a ticket for each item that you hand to the waitstaff as you sit down.
We went for dinner, at this time quite late thanks to our unpacking, jetlag napping, and a brief exploring of the immediate area. The restaurant was nearly empty, and we sat three abreast as the waitress took our tickets, tearing them and handing us back the stubs. She returned quickly with water, and it was a short wait for our food to arrive.
We ordered three set meals. I opted for the tonkatsu set with a heap of grated radish; Ian, the cutlet and fried chicken combo, which offered a large serving of rice for the same price as the regular (which he smartly took); and Adam was the traditionalist, ordering the tonkatsu meal in all its simple glory. Plus two large Cokes and an Asahi.
Not too shabby, right?
And damn, it tasted as good as it looked. Each set came with rice, miso soup, and a feathery heap of shredded cabbage. The cutlet itself sat cutely on a metal grid to keep it dry and greaseless. Not that it was necessary; the Japanese seem incredibly skilled at producing the healthiest deep-fried food around. Mine came topped with grated radish, spring onions sliced thin, and a side of ponzu sauce. The cutlet itself was delicious, the panko light and crisp, the meat having a good, porky flavour. Grated radish lacked the heat I was expecting, instead lending texture -- soft, moistening the crumb in a moreish way (think tempura ramen) -- and its wateriness was super refreshing.
The pork cutlet and Japanese fried chicken combo was also a looker. The chicken was fried in a standard batter, all white meat, and again fresh and tasty. Rice was very good, not exactly a premium item but pleasantly sticky, far better than most served in the UK. The miso soup was also very good, likewise heads above any I've had in England, with serious depth of flavour and a few slippery leaves of seaweed lurking at the bottom.
As you can see in the photos above, chopsticks, napkins, and sauces were self-service. The specialty and tonkatsu sauces were delicious, not unlike those you receive with okonomiyaki and takoyaki -- savoury, sweet, tangy, with a clear soy sauce base. The perfect foil to fried food (... and good on rice... and on shredded cabbage). This was great food, especially for the price -- it was well under ¥2500 for the three of us, with drinks, and you wouldn't leave hungry. Everything was fresh, nicely presented, and service was polite and prompt. In the UK, such high standards from a fast casual chain, at this price point, would be very unlikely.
We did revisit Matsuya, with only slight reluctance since I wasn't keen on repeating any meals during the trip. But the easy convenience of it being within a ten minute walk of our Airbnb, the brilliant vending machine ordering system, and the friendly service made it hard to resist a return. On Tuesday (10/09), we had had a long day in Akihabara, and weren't keen on getting back on the Metro when it was so late. Plus Adam wasn't hungry and wanted to stay in the Airbnb, so Ian and I thought it was best to stay local.
We were boring and had the same meals again. Grated radish tonkatsu, a fried chicken combo, and an ice-cold beer. Oh, and some extra pickles.
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| Cheers / kanpai / sláinte! |
Funnily enough, unlike last time, Ian's came with a bowl with a pestle and some roasted sesame seeds. A neat condiment, both whole and milled.
It tasted just as good the second time round.
Date of visit: 04/09/2019 (revisited 10/09/2019)
Address: 2 Chome-23-3 Yayoicho, Nakano City, Tokyo 164-0013, Japan
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