U.S. Pork Is King in Japanese Tonkatsu Restaurant Chain
Published: Jan 07, 2010
(Editor's note: This is the second in an occasional series of articles featuring restaurants in international markets that focus on and actively promote U.S.beef and/or pork.)
Start with a fresh pork cutlet about one-half to three-quarters of an inch thick. Not just any pork cutlet. It must be from the heartland - pure U.S. pork. Coat it in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper and deep-fry it until it's crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Serve it on a bun or slice it into bite-size pieces for dipping in a savory sauce.
No, you're not in a diner in Iowa. You're sitting in Inaba Wako in Tokyo, one of 120 restaurants in the Inaba Group in Japan that serves the fried pork delicacy tonkatsu that is a favorite across the country. For the Japanese, tonkatsu is the pork version of Americans' beloved hamburger. There are an estimated 5,000 restaurants in Japan that serve tonkatsu, and about one-third serve nothing else. Inaba Wako is among the leaders.
Founded in 1976, Inaba Wako has served 100 percent U.S. pork since 1994 when the chain's founder, Mr. Takeshi Inaba, was introduced to it by USMEF. He found it to be so delicious that he switched from using primarily Danish and Korean product, even though the change cost $1 million extra per year at the time.
"I love the quality of U.S. pork," he told USMEF staff.
After the changeover, Inaba Group surveys showed that its customers found U.S. pork to be more tender and full of flavor than they expected, and the chain, with support from USMEF-Japan, began promoting the positive attributes of the U.S. pork it serves through point-of-sale signage and advertisements on commuter trains.
The collaboration between USMEF and Inaba Wako continues to this day, and U.S. pork is identified prominently in its 120 outlets. Inaba Wako will proudly sell some 1.3 million pounds of boneless U.S. pork loins, tenderloins and pork bellies this year.
While tonkatsu is a Japanese favorite, trend-watchers at the Center for Culinary Development and Packaged Facts, the consumer Web site, recently issued their list of U.S. cooking trends for 2010. Near the top of the list is tonkatsu. "As Japanese cuisine becomes more mainstream, tonkatsu will easily cross over to become this year's imported darling", they report. Soon, you may be able to find tonkatsu at that diner in Iowa.
If you can't wait, here's the location of one of the most popular Inaba Wako restaurants in Tokyo's busy Takashimaya shopping center that draws countless shoppers daily:
Inaba Wako
Shinjuku-Takashimaya outlet
5-24-2, Takashimaya Times Square 13F
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m
Start with a fresh pork cutlet about one-half to three-quarters of an inch thick. Not just any pork cutlet. It must be from the heartland - pure U.S. pork. Coat it in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper and deep-fry it until it's crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Serve it on a bun or slice it into bite-size pieces for dipping in a savory sauce.
No, you're not in a diner in Iowa. You're sitting in Inaba Wako in Tokyo, one of 120 restaurants in the Inaba Group in Japan that serves the fried pork delicacy tonkatsu that is a favorite across the country. For the Japanese, tonkatsu is the pork version of Americans' beloved hamburger. There are an estimated 5,000 restaurants in Japan that serve tonkatsu, and about one-third serve nothing else. Inaba Wako is among the leaders.
Founded in 1976, Inaba Wako has served 100 percent U.S. pork since 1994 when the chain's founder, Mr. Takeshi Inaba, was introduced to it by USMEF. He found it to be so delicious that he switched from using primarily Danish and Korean product, even though the change cost $1 million extra per year at the time.
"I love the quality of U.S. pork," he told USMEF staff.
After the changeover, Inaba Group surveys showed that its customers found U.S. pork to be more tender and full of flavor than they expected, and the chain, with support from USMEF-Japan, began promoting the positive attributes of the U.S. pork it serves through point-of-sale signage and advertisements on commuter trains.
The collaboration between USMEF and Inaba Wako continues to this day, and U.S. pork is identified prominently in its 120 outlets. Inaba Wako will proudly sell some 1.3 million pounds of boneless U.S. pork loins, tenderloins and pork bellies this year.
While tonkatsu is a Japanese favorite, trend-watchers at the Center for Culinary Development and Packaged Facts, the consumer Web site, recently issued their list of U.S. cooking trends for 2010. Near the top of the list is tonkatsu. "As Japanese cuisine becomes more mainstream, tonkatsu will easily cross over to become this year's imported darling", they report. Soon, you may be able to find tonkatsu at that diner in Iowa.
If you can't wait, here's the location of one of the most popular Inaba Wako restaurants in Tokyo's busy Takashimaya shopping center that draws countless shoppers daily:
Inaba Wako
Shinjuku-Takashimaya outlet
5-24-2, Takashimaya Times Square 13F
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m
(Editor's note: This is the second in an occasional series of articles featuring restaurants in international markets that focus on and actively promote U.S.beef and/or pork.)
Start with a fresh pork cutlet about one-half to three-quarters of an inch thick. Not just any pork cutlet. It must be from the heartland - pure U.S. pork. Coat it in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper and deep-fry it until it's crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Serve it on a bun or slice it into bite-size pieces for dipping in a savory sauce.
No, you're not in a diner in Iowa. You're sitting in Inaba Wako in Tokyo, one of 120 restaurants in the Inaba Group in Japan that serves the fried pork delicacy tonkatsu that is a favorite across the country. For the Japanese, tonkatsu is the pork version of Americans' beloved hamburger. There are an estimated 5,000 restaurants in Japan that serve tonkatsu, and about one-third serve nothing else. Inaba Wako is among the leaders.
Founded in 1976, Inaba Wako has served 100 percent U.S. pork since 1994 when the chain's founder, Mr. Takeshi Inaba, was introduced to it by USMEF. He found it to be so delicious that he switched from using primarily Danish and Korean product, even though the change cost $1 million extra per year at the time.
"I love the quality of U.S. pork," he told USMEF staff.
After the changeover, Inaba Group surveys showed that its customers found U.S. pork to be more tender and full of flavor than they expected, and the chain, with support from USMEF-Japan, began promoting the positive attributes of the U.S. pork it serves through point-of-sale signage and advertisements on commuter trains.
The collaboration between USMEF and Inaba Wako continues to this day, and U.S. pork is identified prominently in its 120 outlets. Inaba Wako will proudly sell some 1.3 million pounds of boneless U.S. pork loins, tenderloins and pork bellies this year.
While tonkatsu is a Japanese favorite, trend-watchers at the Center for Culinary Development and Packaged Facts, the consumer Web site, recently issued their list of U.S. cooking trends for 2010. Near the top of the list is tonkatsu. "As Japanese cuisine becomes more mainstream, tonkatsu will easily cross over to become this year's imported darling", they report. Soon, you may be able to find tonkatsu at that diner in Iowa.
If you can't wait, here's the location of one of the most popular Inaba Wako restaurants in Tokyo's busy Takashimaya shopping center that draws countless shoppers daily:
Inaba Wako
Shinjuku-Takashimaya outlet
5-24-2, Takashimaya Times Square 13F
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m
Start with a fresh pork cutlet about one-half to three-quarters of an inch thick. Not just any pork cutlet. It must be from the heartland - pure U.S. pork. Coat it in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper and deep-fry it until it's crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Serve it on a bun or slice it into bite-size pieces for dipping in a savory sauce.
No, you're not in a diner in Iowa. You're sitting in Inaba Wako in Tokyo, one of 120 restaurants in the Inaba Group in Japan that serves the fried pork delicacy tonkatsu that is a favorite across the country. For the Japanese, tonkatsu is the pork version of Americans' beloved hamburger. There are an estimated 5,000 restaurants in Japan that serve tonkatsu, and about one-third serve nothing else. Inaba Wako is among the leaders.
Founded in 1976, Inaba Wako has served 100 percent U.S. pork since 1994 when the chain's founder, Mr. Takeshi Inaba, was introduced to it by USMEF. He found it to be so delicious that he switched from using primarily Danish and Korean product, even though the change cost $1 million extra per year at the time.
"I love the quality of U.S. pork," he told USMEF staff.
After the changeover, Inaba Group surveys showed that its customers found U.S. pork to be more tender and full of flavor than they expected, and the chain, with support from USMEF-Japan, began promoting the positive attributes of the U.S. pork it serves through point-of-sale signage and advertisements on commuter trains.
The collaboration between USMEF and Inaba Wako continues to this day, and U.S. pork is identified prominently in its 120 outlets. Inaba Wako will proudly sell some 1.3 million pounds of boneless U.S. pork loins, tenderloins and pork bellies this year.
While tonkatsu is a Japanese favorite, trend-watchers at the Center for Culinary Development and Packaged Facts, the consumer Web site, recently issued their list of U.S. cooking trends for 2010. Near the top of the list is tonkatsu. "As Japanese cuisine becomes more mainstream, tonkatsu will easily cross over to become this year's imported darling", they report. Soon, you may be able to find tonkatsu at that diner in Iowa.
If you can't wait, here's the location of one of the most popular Inaba Wako restaurants in Tokyo's busy Takashimaya shopping center that draws countless shoppers daily:
Inaba Wako
Shinjuku-Takashimaya outlet
5-24-2, Takashimaya Times Square 13F
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m