One of my favorite things to eat is tonkatsu — sadly, I only ever get to enjoy really good tonkatsu when I am in Japan. That hunk of leather wrapped in soggy panko that local fast food chains try to pass off as tonkatsu is a far cry from the crisp, juicy goodness of real Japanese crispy battered pork.

But the gods have been gracious, and now we have genuine, honest-to-goodness tonkatsu joint that has even Japanese expats singing praises to it: Yabu, the House of Katsu.

Yabu, the brainchild of a local businessman and a Japanese tonkatsu restaurant owner whose main store is based in Japan, brings crisp, savory, delicious tonkatsu in all shapes and sizes. Feast on lean pork, fatty pork, special black pork, even salmon and chicken — all wrapped in a crispy shell of panko breading, with a side of shredded cabbage. I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite, but I have to say the fatty port and the salmon are my must-haves.

Probably the best thing about Yabu for me is the novel way they serve their condiments. Tonkatsu sauce is ladled from a pot on your table to a waiting saucer of crushed sesame seeds, and you dip your piping hot pork slice into it for the full savory effect.

There are also two bottles of salad dressing to douse your shredded cabbage with — I am quite partial to the sesame dressing, which I would drink straight from the bottle if it wasn’t so unsanitary >.>

Great food and excellent service — Yabu is a must-visit, and must-visit-often.