Katsuya STL — Restaurant in University City

Great little bento place. I sat in the window. Don't love the hard plastic stools, but I do love a view out on the Delmar Loop, one of the best places in the city to people watch.

I ordered the Alaskan roll, which was KILLER. Why isn't seared salmon served on top of sushi rolls more often? That was a gamechanger. The rolls are served in a bento box, which comes with a crab Rangoon, a potsticker, a green salad, seaweed salad, egg or potato salad, edamame, a wedge of cake... Way more food than I expected to get! I also had a can of unsweetened green tea, which was the perfect accompaniment. And I ordered the egg rolls--it says 2 egg rolls but I got five thin fried rolls, with a sort of curry-powder-flavored filling. They weren't my favorite but all the rest was.

I didn't love the setup of tiny plastic containers and packets of soy sauce and wasabi. I did like the wasabi and spicy mayo sauces, but they were also in squeeze bottles to be transferred into the tiny plastic containers. I did, however, greatly appreciate the five-gallon water cooler (like Culligan but it was store brand water, which tasted fine) out in the dining area. That's so nice for those of us who are pedestrians and/or just go through a lot of water...

This is definitely a quick service type of restaurant. The food comes out fast, hot and pretty dang good. The quality of the chicken surprised me. It was white meat and cooked perfectly. The portion of chicken was also nice. I could not finish my bento because there was so much. The sauce served with it was also good.

The only thing I wasn’t a huge fan of was the kimchi, but everyone likes theirs differently so it may be better to others. I like mine a little more fermented and smidge less salty. Nothing to complain about though!

The crab rangoon had a different filling than any others I’ve tried. I’ve had some that are more garlicky or sweet but these were savory with a little twang, maybe hint of sriracha. They’re pretty good. I like that you can actually taste the crab stick too.

I think if I’m looking for a quick bite in the area I’ll definitely go back and try the pork and cheese katsu.

Staff were super kind, especially the woman at the register showing us photos and explaining the menu. They made sure we had the containers to get our leftovers packed up and were just overall...

This place immediately became a takeout mainstay for me. I really ought to try more of their menu beyond just the pork katsu bento (I did try the menchi, which was also delicious), but I keep coming back to it. I feel like it's easy to make a fried pork cutlet like this too tough or too dry, but they do an excellent job: tender, moist, perfectly golden-fried. The sides that accompany it are also tasty and presented beautifully. If I had to pick one nit, it would only be that I wish the rice portion were just a touch larger, but otherwise the bento is a perfectly-sized meal. If you're looking for a takeout option that's a delicious and relatively balanced (it is still fried after all, but not at all greasy!) lunch or dinner for a reasonable price, look no further than Katsuya.

Just a note on parking for those unfamiliar with the Loop: street parking and the lot just across the street are paid during the day Monday through Friday (see signage). Parking nearby can be difficult to find on busy nights, you may just need to walk a few blocks. Weeknights are...