Gyukatsu Motomura (Akihabara Store) - How Good Is It Actually?

Another trip to Japan means another opportunity for some Gyukatsu, and today’s visit has taken me to Gyukatsu Motomura’s Akihabara Store.

Unlike its pork Tonkatsu counterpart, Gyukatsu features a much deeper flavor and richness that you really can’t find anywhere else. But with constant long lines no matter which store you stop by, how is the Gyukatsu at this place? And is it worth a visit? Let’s get to it. How Good is Gyukatsu Motomura Actually?

–Menu–
–Double Gyukatsu Set Meal–
–Sauces–
–Cooking your Gyukatsu–
–Set Items–
–Set Side Dishes–
–Souvenir–
–Verdict–
–Getting There–

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📋 Menu 📋

Gyukatsu Motomura specializes in a single dish, so the only decision to make here is how much of it you’d like to have.

🍱 Gyukatsu Set (130g) – ¥1,930
🍱 1.5x Gyukatsu Set (195g) – ¥2,600
🍱 Double Gyukatsu Set (260g) – ¥3,060

What’s my recommendation? I’d recommend the Double Gyukatsu Set (260g) for the best value-for-money, but the standard 130g set isn’t a bad option either if you just wanna try one out. (You can always order some extra standalone Gyukatsu later.)

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🥩 Double Gyukatsu Set Meal (260g) – ¥3,060 🥩

I’m a big fan of Gyukatsu, so the choice to go for the Double set was an easy decision. Like the other size options, my Gyukatsu comes accompanied by a whole list of set items and sides, from shredded cabbage, potato salad, rice, miso soup, and pickled vegetables, to Tororo grated yam, Mentaiko, and Warabi Mochi for dessert.

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🧂 Sauces 🧂

The Gyukatsu set comes with two sauces – Mountain Wasabi sauce for a bit of creamy kick, and Shoyu soy sauce for a more savory finish (and fresh wasabi, if you count that as a sauce.)

At the table, you’ll also find some salad dressing and pink rock salt.

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🍳 Cooking Your Gyukatsu 🍳

The Gyukatsu is served close to Rare, so while you could just eat it as is, I recommend you sear the cutlets on the heated stone until your desired doneness.

For Medium Rare, I’d recommend a 10-15 second sear each side.

At this level of doneness, you really get to experience all the fresh, sweet notes and tenderness of the beef, contrasted by the deeper flavors of the seared crust, and the texture of the breadcrumbs.

But if you really wanna experience the full flavors of Gyukatsu, I’d recommend you aim for somewhere around Medium to Medium Well. (20-30 seconds each side.)

With how marbled the beef is, the longer sear gives the fat more time to render out, resulting in a deeply sweet, melt-in-your-mouth tender piece of katsu that’s honestly just straight up incredible! Experiment around to see where your ideal doneness temp is.

That’s how you sear off your Gyukatsu the standard way. But if you want to try out my personal style of cooking it, here’s my “Toasted Shoyu” method.

Instead of dipping the katsu in the soy sauce after it’s cooked, try dipping it before you sear it on the heated stone.

Grilling the soy sauce this way really brings out its toasty, savory notes, resulting in this complex, aromatic salty outer crust that compliments the Gyukatsu beef very well.

Alternatively, if you want to have a steak-like finish, crack some salt over the Gyukatsu before searing it on the grill.

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🥗 Set Items 🥗

As part of the set, the Gyukatsu also comes with several set items – including some rice, cabbage, potato salad, pickled vegetables, and miso soup.

Refills are at ¥100 each, although your first refill of rice comes free of charge (with a choice of small, medium, or large.)

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🥗 Set Side Dishes 🥗

The Gyukatsu set also comes with several side dishes.

The Tororo (Grated Yam) is a really nice addition to the Gyukatsu, providing a savory, sweet, and garlicky topping that cuts through the richness of the Gyukatsu surprisingly well.

Pour some over your rice, or just use it as a dipping sauce, works either way. (The texture might be strange at first, but try it as a dip first to see if you like it.)

You can just eat the Mentaiko (Pollack Roe) with some rice, but if you need a different salty-flavored finish to your cutlets, try topping your Gyukatsu with it instead of shoyu/salt.

The Warabi Mochi is a really nice way to finish the course out. The mochi itself is soft and lightly flavored, but is complimented by the sweetness of the Kuromitsu syrup, and the nutty notes of the Kinako soybean flour.

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🎁 Souvenir 🎁

When you head over to the cashier to pay for the meal, make sure to grab one of their Origami paper cranes as a little souvenir!

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⭐VERDICT⭐

So how good is Gyukatsu Motomura actually? As a big fan of Gyukatsu, I’ll get straight to the point – this place is very good! The beef is sweet and melt-in-your-mouth tender. And when you combine that with the fried breadcrumbs, seared crust, and all the different serving options, you have a dish that simply checks all the boxes – and that’s not even factoring in the really great price point!

So if you need a place to try out some great Gyukatsu, Gyukatsu Motomura is the place I’d recommend.

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🚗 GETTING THERE 🚗

Gyukatsu Motomura’s Akihabara Store is located pretty close by to Akihabara Station. (JR, Hibiya, and Tsukuba Express Line)

JR Lines – Exit via Electric Town South Exit, and it’s a quick 2 minute walk.
Hibiya Line – Exit via Exit 5, and it’s a 5 minute walk.
Tsukuba Express – Exit via A2, and it’s an 8 minute walk.

You can also find a couple more Gyukatsu Motomura stores around Tokyo, as well as in Osaka, Fukuoka, and Okinawa.