The other day, I went to try Katsuya's "First Aimori of 2025," and I'd like to share my experience in this blog.
My goal was the "Ebi Tare Katsu and Oyakodon Aimori Don." As the name suggests, it's a combination of shrimp tare katsu don and oyakodon. I headed to the restaurant, impressed by how only Katsuya could come up with such a unique pairing.
I went well past the usual lunchtime rush, but the restaurant was still as crowded as ever. It seems like there are slightly more female customers these days compared to before. Since Katsuya doesn’t use tablet ordering and instead has staff take orders directly, I found their brisk and friendly service quite impressive. For some people, such interactions might even influence how they rate the restaurant.
I managed to get a seat at the counter, and when I opened the menu, the limited-time "Aimori Don" was featured prominently on the cover. Katsuya seems to redesign their menu cover every time they release a new limited-time dish, which made me wonder if it’s cost-effective or time-consuming. In contrast, many other restaurants simply add a separate leaflet for seasonal items without changing the main menu.
This time, there was no set meal option, only the rice bowl itself, so I ordered the Aimori Don without hesitation. Personally, no visit to Katsuya feels complete without their tonjiru (pork miso soup), so I added a small size of that as well.
What was brought to me was exactly as the name suggests—a bowl with three pieces of shrimp tare katsu topped with oyakodon. When I actually tried it, the oyakodon part had a light, Japanese-style bonito broth flavor that was very easy to eat, making the rice incredibly satisfying. The sauce had soaked into the rice nicely, adding to the deliciousness, though I felt it might have been even easier to eat with a spoon or a ladle.
The shrimp tare katsu had a crispy texture with a sweet and savory sauce, offering a completely different flavor from the oyakodon. Eating them alternately provided a refreshing way to enjoy two distinct tastes at once, making it enjoyable until the very last bite. I also had some tonjiru in between as a palate cleanser, and before I knew it, I had finished everything.
The total bill, including the tonjiru, was 1,034 yen (tax included). I used a 100-yen discount coupon I had received last time, bringing the total down to 934 yen. I also received a new 100-yen discount coupon for my next visit. Although I went at the end of January, the coupon’s expiration date is generous, valid until the end of the month two months later, which is a nice bonus. Even though it’s a complimentary coupon, having a long expiration period is really convenient. I’m looking forward to using it for my next visit soon.
I’m also excited to see what new menu items Katsuya will introduce in 2025!