A quintessential Japanese katsu spot. The food is top quality but if you aren't in line before they open, be prepared to wait. It gets busy.
This place literally feels like it was lifted straight from Japan. Everything from the food to the small dining area...
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A quintessential Japanese katsu spot. The food is top quality but if you aren't in line before they open, be prepared to wait. It gets busy.
This place literally feels like it was lifted straight from Japan. Everything from the food to the small dining area feels very authentic and traditional. The seating area has been adjusted to accommodate Americans' more.....robust sizing. If they stuck true to Japan standards, they would probably be able to fit another 20 people in the restaurant. But the occupancy is capped at 40, which means if you weren't one of the first in the door by the time they open, be prepared for an hour wait.
The menu is petite, which means they can concentrate on making what they do offer as good as possible. Typical in authentic Japanese cuisine, TON TON uses high quality minimalist ingredients and expert technique that results in a product that is akin to good katsu found in Japan itself. We ordered the salmon, scallops, mussels, and the chicken katsu. There really isn't much to say in terms of katsu. If you had good katsu, this is no different. It's light and crispy, not oily, and tender moist/juicy inside. I don't think you can go wrong ordering anything on the menu. There's pork, shrimp, and vegetarian options as well. Also typical of good Japanese cuisine is they don't really do much to set themselves apart. Basically, "if it ain't broke don't fix it" sort of deal.
The experience at TON TON is holistically an authentic Japanese one. From the long wait/queue, the tiny interior dinning area, and masterfully crafted food, you would think you were transported to Japan for a meal. My only gripe is the price of food is at a premium. While not exactly affordable, the prices are reasonable. Normally it would cost around half this much to eat this type of food in Japan, but considering this place is in the middle of the desert, they get a pass.