Tare-Katsu

I try not to raise someone’s expectations of a place before they go there but I can never resist telling someone this is the best katsu I have ever had in my life.
The first time I found Tare-​Katsu was on my way to the Ghibli Museum from Kichijoji Station. One of my best friends was with me and we spotted a sign board with a big picture of a katsu sandwich on it. We had to get to the museum in time for our entry session but we simply couldn’t walk past without trying one. «We’re not that hungry, we better share one» we decided.
As we were walking and passing this sandwich between us, we realised we had made a mistake, we should have bought two. We wanted to go back there afterwards but it didn’t happen. It wasn’t until my next trip to Japan that I was able to go there again.
This time I was with my husband and my family. It’s a tiny little shop which I think would only seat about 10 or 12 people and they had just enough space for us. The menu is in Japanese but it’s pretty much katsu or katsu or maybe some katsu. You can have a bowl of rice with 4 pieces or 6 pieces and they also have some seafood katsu.
By the time we ordered I turned back to look at the door and there was a line going out onto the street. We had been lucky with our timing. But I would have waited for this, I’m not usually very patient and hate to line up, but I would line up for this.
Tare-katsu’s pork cutlets are thin cuts of meat with a fine panko crumb. Then each cutlet is dipped in a sweet, soy-​based sauce before it is placed upon a throne of fluffy rice. They are the best, I always order a bowl with 6 pieces (because no one will share theirs with me if I realise I’m still hungry after 4) and now I’ve made myself hungry and I want to go back right now.
Directions: Exit Kichijoji station and walk to the right down the street. Keep going and look out on the right for a little wooden shop front. There’s a window looking into the kitchen where the katsu is being cooked and the welcome mat has an outline of a piggy.