Tonkatsu Maisen Aoyama Honten

Maisen has been frying tonkatsu, breaded and deep-fried pork cutlets, since 1965, and its Aoyama main branch on a quiet street behind Omotesando is the place to try it. The company's calling card is pork so tender that it can be cut with chopsticks, and the main restaurant has become a regular stop for locals and visitors alike. The dining rooms are spacious and traditional in feel, with a mix of counter seats, tables and private rooms.

The menu is built around set meals of tonkatsu with shredded cabbage, rice, miso soup and pickles, with refills of cabbage commonly offered. Choose between leaner hire (fillet) and richer rosu (loin), and look out for the kurobuta black pork and the restaurant's own branded pork, which are the premium options. Seasonal sets add fried seafood such as prawns or oysters, and there are banquet courses and a pork shabu-shabu course for larger groups. Two sauces, a sweeter one and a spicier one, sit on every table.

The restaurant is open every day from 11:00 to 22:00, with last orders at 21:00, and closes only on 1 and 2 January. Expect a queue at lunchtime, especially at weekends, when reservations are limited to banquet courses that must be booked by 14:00 two days in advance. Arriving at opening time or mid-afternoon is the easiest way to avoid a wait. If you are short of time, the takeaway counter sells Maisen's fillet katsu sandwiches, which make a good picnic or train snack.

Maisen suits families, groups and anyone wanting a hearty, affordable meal in a smart area, and the restaurant offers a children's menu, children's chairs and access for pushchairs. Portions are generous, and the rice and cabbage make it a filling meal. It is not the place for vegetarians, as nearly everything revolves around pork, although some seafood options are available.

The restaurant is at 4-8-5 Jingumae, about three minutes' walk from Exit A2 of Omotesando Station on the Ginza, Chiyoda and Hanzomon lines. The boutiques of Omotesando and Aoyama, the backstreets of Ura-Harajuku and Cat Street are all within easy reach, and Meiji Jingu is a pleasant walk away.