Honolulu Restaurant: Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin
I've known about this place for awhile now, with all of the other outstanding places to eat in Honolulu, this was further down on my list. Until now...
Scheduled dinner with @konaish and @onokinegrindz, my Sushi Izakaya Gaku friends. Unfortunately, @onokinegrindz was unavailable this night, but we got to have one last meal at Downtown at HiSAM (Hawaii State Art Museum).
Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin
Beach Walk Waikiki
In Japan, Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin (Est. 1927) was the first
Tonkatsu restaurant in Ginza (one of the most luxurious
shopping districts in the world and very upscale).
They were the first to offer the now popular "Bite-Size Katsu",
"Tonkatsu Sauce" and the "Katsu Sandwich".
See What Jay Eats...
Beef Takaki Salad
(Seared Beef Salad)
Not much of a dressing tho...
You can grind sesame seeds
before adding in the tonkatsu sauce,
it gives a nice nutty flavor...
We opted for the Special Kurobuta
Pork Loin Katsu
(Only 25 servings a day)
$32
Kurobuta is a black pig (Berkshire breed in the US)
and under the trademarked name Kagoshima Kurobuta
in Japan.
Thick Cut Pork Loin Katsu
$19
Same cut as the Special Kurobuta Pork
Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin uses premium cotton seed
salad oil from Japan to cook all of the katsu.
(zero trans fat)
Overall, I would go back and have tonkatsu again.
Not sure if I would order the Kurobuta Pork Lion again.
IMO, there are other places in Honolulu to get better pork.
If you want great pork dishes, try Whole Ox in Kaka'ako.
All I'll say is Pork Shank
(You need to bring a group for it...)
255 Beach Walk
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 926-8082
Suggest making reservations
You can also grab a katsu sandwich
at Ala Moana Center
Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin stall at Shirokiya
Ala Moana Center
Tonkatsu and katsu sandwiches
Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin
2nd Floor
Ala Moana Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd #2250
Honolulu, HI 96841
(808) 973-9111
Will have to meet up with @onokinegrindz
another time and thanks to @konaish
for joining me for tonkatsu.
Another tonkatsu place in Waikiki
with a different twist
NOTE: I was a guest in Honolulu of the Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau,
O'ahu Visitors Bureau, and their partners on this trip.
I thank them for the invitation and hospitality.
All comments and opinions are strictly my own.
Photos by Jay Terauchi
©Jay Terauchi
Jay Eats
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