01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
If you’re coming for the thick-cut tonkatsu, allow time for it to be fried at Nomiba 3858. One lunchtime diner described a substantial slice of Iwanaka pork with a crisp, delicate coating and juicy meat. Some reviews say the frying takes around 30 minutes, so it’s worth allowing extra time when ordering this hand-prepared cutlet.
Some diners have enjoyed it as part of a lunchtime set with rice and pork miso soup; others report ordering tonkatsu as an à la carte dish in the evening, rather than as a set meal. Reviews also note that it is only available when a staff member who prepares it is working, so check ahead if the cutlet is the main reason for your visit.
To make a meal around drinks and small plates, try the small serving of the owner’s curry, with extra meat, for 550 yen. The same curry is served over chewy udon in Miyako curry udon (800 yen), a good choice when you want the noodles to take centre stage.
Another option is Miyakoya beef tendon stew (800 yen), which reportedly takes two full days to prepare. The restaurant describes it as a rich, savoury blend of honjozo soy sauce, bonito stock, miso and demi-glace sauce, among other seasonings. It combines skirt-steak tendon, lean meat and Achilles tendon, bringing several different cuts together in one dish.
One diner mentioned enjoying tonkatsu with a lemon sour. The izakaya also serves drinks including beer and wine. With counter seats for solo drinks and tables for groups, it suits an evening of sampling a few small plates over a drink.
