Katsuan

Rating: OK
Meal: Lunch for 2
Price: 1770 yen
Payment: Cash only
Dishes: Rosukatsu and menchi teishoku, Katsudon teishoku
English Menu: Yes (kind of)
Smoking: No

Menu

Instructions for the tablet

Katsuan is a new tonkatsu restaurant that looks like a well established chain.  The key difference here is that it has a parking lot along 16 that is very accessible, making it a much easier drop in affair than, say, a mom and pop shop, or even Wako's (which is usually tied to Aeon malls).  And it's cheap and fast.

Rosukatsu + Menchi

The menu is interesting in that you use an ipad like device to enter in the numbers from the Japanese menu (which is nicely illustrated).  The device then shows you the item in English along with the options.  You add your orders to the shopping cart and then send in your order, which is brought to your table along with the bill.  So even though the menu itself isn't in English, there is a way to find out what it is you are ordering.

Katsudon

My wife had her favorite:  katsudon (egg, onions and katsu on rice), while I went for the rosukatso and menchi special.  We both upgraded to the clam miso soup as well.  Unlike Wako's, you have to order as much up front as you want to eat (size of rice, amount of shredded cabbage, etc...) as there are no free refills.  The tonkatsu itself were tasty enough, if a bit greasy, and the menchi was pretty much what you'd expect.  The clam miso was good, though not as good as Wako's.  Overall it was just a notch down in quality from what you'd expect at Wako's, which I rate as a Very Good, so I'm giving this place a high Ok.  As my wife said, if this is what passes for Japanese fast food, we'll take it!  That, along with the parking lot and very cheap price, make this place a pretty good bet if you are in a car looking for a quick and tasty meal.