Photo: Melissa Chang
I had no idea that Hawai‘i diners were so into katsu until all these restaurants started opening, one after the other, to very enthusiastic audiences. But up until now, most have specialized in pork, or tonkatsu. Beef, or gyu-katsu, if it is offered, is not the main focus.
Photo: Melissa Chang
Two weeks ago, Kyoto Katsuda—which already has four locations in Japan—opened its first U.S. restaurant in Stix Asia, the food hall inside Waikīkī Shopping Plaza. The specialty is gyu-katsu made with regular beef, tenderloin or American wagyu that’s seasoned, breaded and deep-fried. You can order anything à la carte (but why would you?) or as complete meal sets that include unlimited cabbage and white rice.
SEE ALSO: Tonkatsu @Honolulu Is Hawai‘i’s Newest Katsu Hotspot
Each beef set is available in 4- or 8.5-ounce portions. The beef is served more rare, which helps you taste the quality of the meat, but you can request it more well done. (Don’t do it! The rare meat is so much softer.)
Photo: Melissa Chang
I’ll just show you one of the 4-ounce meat sets here since they all look alike. The U.S. beef katsu set is $18, but I would recommend you pay a little more for the tenderloin ($24) or wagyu ($26) as the taste and texture are much better. Consider this: Kama‘āina get a 20% discount, so that makes the higher-grade beef more affordable. It’s only when you order the 8.5-ounce portions that the difference in price is more dramatic. (It’s $28 for regular beef versus $36 for tenderloin and $40 for wagyu.)
SEE ALSO: I Got Into Tonkatsu Kuro at 8:15 on a Wednesday Night and It Was So Worth It
Like all katsu places, Kyoto Katsuda gives you a bowl of sesame seeds, which you grind while you wait for your order, then add katsu sauce to for dipping. But I love the alternative ways to dress up the gyu-katsu much more. My favorite is with a smidge of wasabi, then a sprinkle of salt. Another way to eat it is with that smidge of wasabi, then a quick dip in shoyu. Finally, you can dip the katsu into the accompanying dish of curry sauce.
Photo: Melissa Chang
An assorted seafood set ($28) for non-carnivores includes salmon katsu, ‘ahi katsu, shrimp katsu and a generous dollop of salmon roe. You can eat these with the accompanying house-made tartar sauce or any of the accompaniments above. My preference with the fish is wasabi and shoyu.
Photo: Melissa Chang
The surf and turf combination ($26) includes the regular beef katsu with your choice of the seafood above. If I were choosing, it would be the shrimp, which is also our hands-down favorite because they are gigantic, plump and juicy.
Photo: Melissa Chang
Most local people leave the cabbage on the table, but I’d encourage you to give it a try. Kyoto Katsuda uses a special blade to shred the cabbage, making it fluffy and light, even after you add the house dressing. I find myself getting seconds because it’s lovely and delicate on the palate—not to mention good for digesting all that beef. It comes in a cute basket, and if you are lucky, a cute little lady serves it to you.
Park in Waikīkī Shopping Plaza, and the restaurant will validate for two hours. Walk-ins only for now.
Daily 5 to 9 p.m., 2550 Kalākaua Ave., @kyotokatsudahi
Melissa Chang is a longtime regular contributor to Frolic Hawai‘i. @melissa808
AloJapan.com