とんかつ なごみ — Restaurant in Nikko

Driving around in the Kinugawa Onsen area past 5pm looking for dinner, we thought we were surely doomed, for restaurants there tend to close relatively early in the evening. Setting the search filter to "Open now" in Google Maps and refreshing, sure enough, only a few places showed up. Thankfully, Tonkatsu Nagomi showed up on the list.

We parked at a vacant lot along Sakura Dori, opposite a bank and next to a big Lawson, just 3 minutes' walk from the restaurant. Past Lawson, a row of 2-storey shops awaited and Tonkatsu Nagomi was the only shopfront that had lights on and a sign pointing down to the B1 level.

A bell on the door sounded as we entered Nagomi, and a kind gentleman welcomed us and bade us choose any table that we wanted. He turned out to be the chef as well, and patiently explained the menu as well as answering questions about the differences between Hire and Rosu cuts. We ended up ordering the 100g Hire and 150g Rosu set meals.

The local 日光 Himitsu pork sounded intriguing and it really turned out to be the best tonkatsu that I had ever had - no small thanks to the undoubted skill of the chef himself. As we were the only customers at that time, he fired up the entire kitchen and got busy cooking just for us - the quality of his cooking and hospitality made it feel like a private dining event.

Nagomi's tonkatsu was tender on the inside, crispy on the outside and not greasy at all. Each tonkatsu set also came with the customary chilled cabbage, miso soup and rice. Curiously, there was a serving of wasabi and coarse-grained salt as well; when asked, the chef smiled and asked us to eat those with the tonkatsu. Conclusion: Such a great combination that I wondered why other tonkatsu restaurants didn't serve it!

Besides the tonkatsu, we also had the local Kinugawa Onsen beer which nicely complemented the tonkatsu. And a piping hot croquette at the end (thank you, Chef, for firing up the kitchen again for a single croquette!) because we could not get enough of his delectable pork dishes!

A wonderful tonkatsu which I'd highly recommend to everyone in the...

Came in at 18:10pm on a Sunday evening and was told that it could take an hour to be seated. We waited and fortunately were seated in about half that time.

We ordered the pork tonkatsu set which included rice and miso soup and it was amazing. The best pork I've tried in my life, it came with wasabi, salt and pickles but there were also additional condiments such as Worcestershire sauce, mustard, chilli powder etc.

The owner or the one employee (not sure, sorry) was also very friendly and created a very relaxed...

One of those places that quietly stays with you.

The room is simple and a bit old-fashioned, but the food speaks for itself. The tonkatsu set (large, to share) was incredible and made with so much care.

The owner was so kind, spoke just enough english and was very welcoming. it felt like having dinner at someone’s home. Nothing fancy, just honest, beautiful food and warm people.

If you find yourself in Kinugawa Onsen, skip the touristy spots and come here instead, this place deserves to be full...