Yesterday I met one of my coworkers for lunch at a restaurant called Nanjaro?, which I think roughly translates to, “What is it?” Chad stumbled upon the cozy diner about a year or so ago, and we just keep coming back.
Every time Chad and I go to Nanjaro?, we order the katsukare: pork cutlet fried in a layering of flour, egg & panko (Japanese bread crumbs) with a side of rice and Japanese curry. Often this type of dish feels way too heavy, but at Nanjaro? the katsu is very light and flaky without a lot of oil, the curry has a really lovely consistency with bits of tender beef throughout, and the rice is buttery without being overpowering.
I recommended the katsukare to my coworker, and as you can see, she enjoyed it–she gave me about the cheesiest smile ever! 😉
The atmosphere in Nanjaro? is comfy–there is a checkered wall in the kitchen and wooden walls throughout the rest of the place. There is seating at a counter or at one of three big wooden barrels, without much space between the counter and the barrels. The staff always remembers Chad and I, which could be because foreigners probably don’t frequent the restaurant often since its outside the main part of the city, but I like to think it’s because they truly just remember and appreciate our business. And man, do we ever appreciate theirs!
Nanjaro?, please come to Michigan?
Little Snail 
Is that the same as Tonkatsu? It sounds like it. I loved having that both trips to K
Japan. We also loved the curry rice. It was dark brown and delicious! I loved the rice balls with Ume plum in the middle. We would grab those at a convenience store! I go to an Asian market to buy
Ume here because I love it! You’re making me miss Japan!
You’re right! In this case the katsu is tonkatsu, but there is also chicken katsu or ground beef katsu–I think katsu just means that it’s prepared in the same way. Tonkatsu is actually quite easy to make, and there are loads of easy recipes for tonkatsu sauce that you can make outside of Japan, too. I also really love tonkatsu–there are so many ways to eat it! I’ve never been a fan of ume unless drinking umeshu (plum wine), so I always give my ume to my husband who gobbles them up. My favorite rice balls are the tuna mayo ones–yum! Any plans to visit Japan again?
i remember the tonkatsu you made for us when you came back from studying abroad. it was so good!
I’ll have to make it again–easy enough in about two months! 🙂
I have no plans to visit in the near future, but I hope to get back one day! I love Kyoto! Tokyo was too busy for me. Osaka and Nagoya were o.k., but I would still go back to Kyoto!
You should give Kobe a chance, too! 🙂