🇺🇸 Who Knew You Could Find Japanese Katsu in the LA Desert? 🐖✨

I’d heard about this place for a while, and since we had to return our rental car at Palm Spring Airport Avis (thanks to a flat tire… see previous post 😅), we stopped by for a 3 PM “lunch.” The restaurant is beautifully decorated — not overly themed, but cozy and pleasant. 😊 We ordered: 🍛 Pork Katsu with Cheese 🍛 Pork Katsu with Curry 🍛 Chicken Katsu with Curry The katsu was perfectly crispy outside, and the meat was lean pork loin. The cabbage salad was surprisingly amazing 🤤 – the dressing was so good I used all of it! Why can’t American cabbage taste like this? The curry paired wonderfully with the rice – both were excellent, and the curry had a mild, comforting flavor. The miso soup stood out immediately – richer and more flavorful than typical restaurant miso. I found actual meat and veggies at the bottom! 🍲 They also served two sauces: ketchup and mayo, plus two types of mustard. Not sure how to use the mustard – if anyone knows, please teach me! 🧂 Portions were generous. A grown man could finish one plate; I ended up taking a few pieces of katsu home. The takeout box was cute, too! 📦 The owner is a smiling Japanese uncle who wears gloves – probably works in the kitchen too. There was a friendly white lady server and what looked like a new hire – a guy in a white shirt eating katsu and drinking beer by the window. After our meal, the owner was teaching him how to use the register. 👨🍳💼 I also loved the message printed on the placemat: “We proudly serve the best Katsu in the desert area.” So humble – no “best in the US” claim 🥇, but honestly, it might just be! A truly satisfying and heartwarming meal. #JapaneseFood #Katsu #Curry #Salad #PalmSprings #JoshuaTree #LA #LosAngelesEats #FoodieFind #HiddenGem #LAFood #TravelLA #FoodReview