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While on my hunt for the best tonkotsu ramen spots around Hakata Station, I happened to stumble across an interesting low-temperature tonkatsu shop. After a quick search revealed this as one of Fukuoka’s best, I decided to step inside to see what makes it so special.
So what’s on their menu? Does their tonkatsu live up to their reputation? And is it worth the visit? Let’s get to it. How Good is Tonkatsu Wakaba Actually?
–Menu–
–Loin (Rosu) Set Meal–
–Tonkatsu Impressions–
–Set Contents–
–Sauces–
–Verdict–
–Getting There–
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📋 Menu 📋
The menu at Tonkatsu Wakaba is relatively simple: a set meal of pork loin/tenderloin low-temperature tonkatsu, with three different grades of each to choose from.
Pork Loin Katsu
Loin (Rosu) Set Meal (150g) – ¥1,900
Premium Loin (Jo-Rosu) Set Meal (190g) – ¥2,300
Premium Ribeye (Tokujo Riburosu) Set Meal (240g) – ¥2,950
Pork Tenderloin Katsu
Tenderloin (Hire) Set Meal (90g)- ¥1,750
Premium Tenderloin (Jo-Hire) Set Meal (135g) – ¥2,300
Extra Premium Tenderloin (Tokujo Hire) Set Meal (150g) – ¥2,950
Do note that each of the above katsu will take around 25-30 minutes to prepare, so plan your schedule accordingly to account for both the queue and cook times. But if you’re in a rush, Wakaba also offers a budget-friendly ‘Business Lunch Set’ featuring US pork, fried using the standard high-heat method for a prep time of less than 20 minutes.
Business Lunch Set
Pork Loin (Rosu) Katsu Set Meal (110g) – ¥1,500
Pork Tenderloin (Hire) Katsu Set Meal (90g) – ¥1,500
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🍖 Loin (Rosu) Set Meal (150g) – ¥1,900 🍖
Tonkatsu Wakaba uses a low-temperature frying method for their katsu. Not only does it result in a much juicier interior, but it also gives the crust its distinctive “White Tonkatsu” pale color.
At ¥1,900, it’s also one of the more affordable low-temp katsu options I’ve come across.
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🍖 Tonkatsu Impressions 🍖
Starting with the pork itself. Being the classic loin cut, the highlight of the katsu was just how juicy and bright-tasting the pork was! By slow-frying until the center is just slightly pink, the pork remains incredibly juicy – and with it, retains all of its bright, ‘fresh pork’ flavor profile.
And as the loin cut, you also get a nice little fat cap around the top of the pork. Fried until just slightly melty, the fat provides a nice, rich sweetness to the katsu, complementing the juiciness of the pork.
Tonkatsu Wakaba uses a softer breadcrumb for their katsu. Combined with their low-temp frying technique, you end up with a pale-colored outer crust that’s incredibly light on the tongue.
Unlike the crispy-heavy coating on a regular tonkatsu, Wakaba’s breading acts more like a supporting player, providing a light, airy crunch that allows the pork’s flavor to shine through.
In all, it’s an incredibly light piece of katsu, with the pork’s natural flavors taking center stage.
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🥗 Set Contents 🥗
Served alongside the set is a familiar assortment of sides: rice (white or mixed grain rice), miso soup, shredded cabbage, lemon wedge, grated daikon, pickled vegetables, and a small side dish – potato salad in my case.
First refills of the rice, miso soup, and cabbage are free! (With refills after that being ¥200)
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🧂 Sauces 🧂
Being a lighter-profile tonkatsu, your sauce choice can play a pretty vital role in your overall experience here – and Wakaba provides plenty of options to choose from. Featuring salt, tonkatsu sauce, light ponzu (+grated daikon), wasabi, and karashi hot mustard – plus their salad dressing if you want to count that.
To really bring out the katsu’s natural flavors, I recommend skipping the tonkatsu sauce at first and heading straight for the salt.
Sprinkle some over the meat and let it sit and dissolve for a bit, and you’ll find that it doesn’t just season the pork, but further accentuates all the pork’s bright, fresh flavors.
For a more traditional tonkatsu experience, top it with their katsu sauce for an added layer of brightness and acidity – or experiment around with the other options to find what works best for you.
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⭐VERDICT⭐
So how good is Tonkatsu Wakaba actually? Honestly, quite good! I’ve been to several low-temp tonkatsu shops at this point, and compared to the others, Wakaba really shines in two key areas: its juiciness and notably light, airy crunch. Top the experience off with a price point that’s very competitive compared to other low-temp katsu shops (with most being around ¥2,000 – ¥3,000), and it’s a very solid place to recommend if you’re around Fukuoka.
So if you’re around Hakata Station and need a satisfying katsu specialty shop, then head on over to Tonkatsu Wakaba!
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🚗 GETTING THERE 🚗
Tonkatsu Wakaba’s Chikushiguchi store is located only a couple minutes away from Hakata Station.
From Hakata Station (JR, Kuko, and Nanakuma Lines), exit via East 7, or the Chikushi Gate, and you’ll find the store after a quick 7-minute walk through a couple of blocks.
You can also visit Tonkatsu Wakaba at their main store around Tenjin, featuring a slightly more upscale, izakaya-like interior – though do note that lines there can be a bit longer than the Chikushiguchi branch store.
Tonkatsu Wakaba Chikushiguchi
🌏 Location 🌏
1F, 2-3-28 Hakataekihigashi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka 812-0013, Japan
🗺 Map 🗺
https://maps.app.goo.gl/tfSB6dYYgYyfTJFV9
⏰ Opening Hours ⏰
11 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. // 5 P.M. to 7:45 P.M.
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