Entrepreneur is said to have named the restaurant after his beloved wife (Haru-san), Small Haruken in Ningyocho. With its founding dating back to the 45th year of the Meiji era, it can be said to be one of the representative long-established stores in Ningyocho that has been around for over 100 years! This time, I ordered the "Assorted Fry with Shrimp" ◆. Yes, when it comes to Small Haruken, many people order the assorted fry. The shrimp fry that encapsulates the sweetness and elegant aroma of the shrimp, with a crispy and fluffy texture. By lightly coating it with breadcrumbs that combine the goodness of both "fine type" and "coarse type", you can directly enjoy the crispiness and texture of the shrimp. And then, the croquette with plenty of minced meat that brings out the umami of the meat and the sweetness of the onion, with a soft and creamy potato. The croquette moment that makes you feel like you're having a feast, maybe it's been a while since you've tasted it. Crispy and fluffy! The Kajiki tuna fry with a gentle aroma and sweetness overflowing in the mouth, as well as the elegant aroma and fresh sweetness of the scallop fry are also stable in taste that you can't see in a casual Western-style restaurant! The potato salad that wraps the sweetness and aroma of the potato in a fluffy manner with a subtle mayonnaise is also a dish that makes you want to order it as a single item! And what is popular along with the assorted fry is the ◆ "Small Haruken Special Katsudon". This was once removed from the menu and revived over 20 years ago based on the memory of the third-generation owner who ate it when he was young! Not covered with egg and not topped with sauce, with a "dashi made with demiglace as a hidden flavor" that is lightly simmered, with bite-sized pork cutlet, simmered potatoes, carrots, onions, and green peas scattered throughout. I have eaten various katsudon dishes so far, but this katsudon, which combines the "essence of Western cuisine" and the "familiarity of the downtown area", is unlike any other I have had! "Today, I came here for the first time in 20 years to have the omelette!" "Oh my! I thought I had seen you somewhere before..." I felt oddly relieved by the conversation between the previous customer and the landlady as they were leaving. "Enjoy without pretension" As written on the menu. The uncompromising attitude of this shop, which has been going on since the Meiji era, seems to attract many customers without stopping...

Ningyocho, a famous casual Western-style restaurant with a long history. The restaurant may be a bit hard to enter, but it was a place I instantly fell in love with after a long time. I tried their special katsudon. Several small cutlets were served on top of potatoes, carrots, onions, and more, with the potatoes being a particularly nice touch and delicious. The sauce had a demiglace flavor, and although it looked rich, it was surprisingly light in taste. If I had to nitpick, the glasses were a bit too worn out and cloudy.

It was a slightly sweet and gentle tasting katsudon, different from other places. First, I tried it as it is, and then I broke the fried egg and ate it together with the katsu. The clam soup was also comforting and delicious. We arrived at 11:30 and were able to be seated without waiting, we were seated at a table. They were able to divide the seating well, placing people with belongings at a table and those without at the counter.

At Koharukan, the first thing to try is their special Katsudon. It has a unique appearance with a sunny-side-up egg sitting on top of the pork cutlet, instead of the usual egg topping. It is served with stir-fried vegetables like potatoes, carrots, onions, and bell peppers in a sweet and savory sauce. The pork cutlet is tender and coated in a soy-based sauce. While this Katsudon is delicious, personally I prefer the sauce-based Katsudon found in places like Ina or Komagane, or a regular egg-topped Katsudon. The assorted deep-fried platter includes pork cutlet, shrimp, cream croquette, regular croquette, scallops, and grilled squid skewers. It's a generous portion and all the items were tasty. The shrimp was a good size and had a nice texture. The limited-time oyster dish until March is also worth trying. The oysters are small but plentiful, juicy, and flavorful. The buttery aroma combined with the oyster's taste is a delightful winter treat. Moving away from fried foods, the popular hamburger dish is a safe and satisfying choice. The highlight was the perfectly cooked sunny-side-up egg with a runny yolk that complemented the rice well. On a day when curry was expected, the curry was surprisingly unavailable, so the day's choice was the butter-grilled squid. The squid was cooked to perfection, tender yet firm, with a delicious buttery flavor. Overall, a satisfying meal.

Ningyocho is filled with historic shops, and this one is no exception. I visited during lunchtime on a weekday and was able to enter without waiting in line. I tried the Special Tonkatsu Donburi at Koharuken, which came with clam soup for ¥1,400. It may be a bit pricey, but the dish was unique with carrots and potatoes cut into dice shapes, topped with a sunny-side-up egg. The sauce generously poured over it had a hidden flavor of demi-glace. It's a different kind of tonkatsu donburi, but it was also quite good.

The other day, I stopped by Ningyocho on my way home from work and found that "Koharuken," which had been closed for night business since last year, was open. I changed my plans and visited after a long time, probably about a year and a half since I last came here to eat the winter limited "Oyster Butter Yaki." I entered the restaurant, sat at a table, and ordered the "Special Assorted Plate" and a large bottle of beer. While watching the TV in the restaurant and drinking beer, the "Special Assorted Plate" was soon served. The lineup included squid butter yaki, scallop fry, pork cutlet, pork sauté, fish fry, croquette, and shrimp fry, all of my favorites in one plate. It had been a while since I last ate here, but the taste was still reliably delicious. I had been curious since entering the store, and when I saw a photo on the shelf next to the seat, I asked the son of the store when I left. The friendly and talkative beloved landlady passed away in October last year, and that's why the night business had been closed. However, they couldn't stay closed forever, so they decided to resume night business. After leaving the store, I felt nostalgic thinking about the times I talked with the landlady while watching TV. It's really sad that she passed away, but I believe the sons will continue to uphold the taste of Koharuken, so I hope they will continue to provide delicious food in the future. Thank you for the delicious assorted plate. Landlady, thank you for everything. Please enjoy your time in heaven with the previous owner. Thank you for the meal.

I visited a Western-style restaurant in the downtown area on a weekday afternoon and decided to enter. [What I ordered] - Koshunken Special Katsudon (1,400 yen) It's been a while since I visited Koshunken. They offer a very unique katsudon. It's similar to the popular open-style katsudon, with bite-sized tonkatsu placed on top of the rice bowl, topped with a sunny-side-up egg. Additionally, there are vegetables cooked in demi-glace sauce on top, creating a three-layered structure! Thinking that they have been making this katsudon for over 100 years, I wonder if they were the original creators of the open-style katsudon? The bite-sized tonkatsu is delicious and truly outstanding, something you can't find elsewhere. Highly recommended for those who enjoy Western-style cuisine. Thank you for the meal! If you'd like, please check out my other posts! I also have an Instagram account (@ranko_foodie). Thank you!

A long-established Western-style restaurant in Ningyo-cho. I finally tried the special pork cutlet bowl at Koharuken that I had wanted to eat for a long time. This pork cutlet bowl is very beautiful. The colorful vegetables and sunny-side-up egg stand out. The taste is also quite good. There is also joy in breaking the yolk of the sunny-side-up egg. It is a pork cutlet bowl that exudes a nostalgic feeling.

I can feel the love from the restaurant in the crispy fried egg dripping with yolk on top of onions, green peppers, and carrots in the katsudon. The small bite-sized tonkatsu is fried perfectly so that the flavor stays locked in. This katsudon is so gentle and unique, you can't find it anywhere else. Even though I think I should try other dishes, I always end up ordering the katsudon every time.

The shop I was looking for was temporarily closed, so I visited during the weekend daytime. It was a bit crowded, so I wandered around nearby and when I came back, the line was shorter so I queued up. A friendly lady kindly explained the menu to me. Inside, there was a cool, dignified man, maybe the owner, cooking the dishes. There were also fried foods and grilled squid included. I thought it was a good decision to go there. Please try going there, I will definitely go back.

Visiting Western food at the source of the famous Katsudon in Ningyocho. When strolling around Ningyocho, you will definitely notice a sign that says "Established in Meiji 45." This sign exudes the weight of the era and the sophistication of a Western-style restaurant. In the afternoon in Ningyocho, I stopped by a restaurant established in 1912 during the Meiji era. It was founded by Haru, a cook for a prime minister, and his wife, and they opened a stylish Western restaurant called Koharuken based on their names. Despite facing challenges such as the Great Kanto Earthquake and wartime closures, they overcame hardships and reopened in the same location, continuing to thrive with the support of the local community for over 100 years. In Ningyocho, a place known for its Western food restaurants, Koharuken stands as one of the oldest and most popular establishments. Their menu reflects a simple yet delicious approach, showcasing the restaurant's attitude of not being pretentious despite their 100-year legacy. The popular dishes include a special assortment of fried foods and their signature Katsudon. The menu features a variety of dishes such as tonkatsu, croquettes, minced meat cutlets, fried squid, hamburgers, and curry, with the notable absence of omurice as they adhere to the principle of not pre-cooking dishes. The third-generation chef handles fried foods, the fourth-generation chef is in charge of grilled dishes, and the third-generation chef's wife provides attentive service, showcasing the restaurant's family-run tradition. In 2005, the fourth-generation chef returned from training and reevaluated the menu, aiming to revive the taste of the founder's Katsudon. The Katsudon made by the first generation, which the third-generation grandson remembers from his childhood, was recreated and reintroduced to the menu, offering a special nostalgic taste from the Meiji era. This unique Katsudon, which was the first to put tonkatsu in a bowl before the era of egg-topped Katsudon, features bite-sized cutlets cooked with vegetables in a broth, topped with vegetables and a fried egg. The key lies in the seasoning of the broth, which combines Japanese-style and demi-glace flavors, creating a unique taste profile. The dish is served with a miso soup with clams, embodying a genuine and unpretentious approach to Western cuisine that has been passed down for a century.

It was not crowded. There are many nice shops around Ningyocho Station, but I have not explored them yet. Today, I visited here at exactly 12 o'clock. Upon entering, the waitress recommended a bowl for 1300 yen. I decided to go with that. The regular customers seem to order things other than the bowl. It was brought to me after a few minutes. I honestly didn't have high expectations after reading the comments, but it was quite good. However, I'm not sure if I'm satisfied with this visit.

【Point】① A famous katsudon restaurant near Ningyocho. ② The katsudon here is significantly different in appearance and taste from the typical katsudon. It's delicious, but at 1,300 yen, it's a bit pricey. ③ The polite customer service is one of the reasons why this restaurant is popular. 【Trigger/Purpose】I had some business near Ningyocho, so I searched for reviews and decided to have lunch at this restaurant based on the number of reviews. 【Location】About a 5-minute walk from Ningyocho Station. 【Atmosphere/Seating/Customer base/Wifi/Toilet/Smoking/Baby strollers, etc.】It was my first time walking around Ningyocho, and there were plenty of cafes nearby, which was great. The interior of Kohariken felt old, with a sense of history, like visiting someone's home. Almost all customers were local office workers, with many female customers as well. Due to the limited seating, it seemed common for customers to share tables when it got crowded. 【Food】(Reason for ordering, taste, portion, wait time, others' orders, etc.) ● Kohariken Special Katsudon (Served with clam soup) (¥1,300) This seemed to be the restaurant's signature dish, so despite the high price, I ordered it. The katsudon comes with clam soup automatically. It looks and tastes significantly different from a typical katsudon, which was enjoyable. It had cubed potatoes scattered throughout and a sunny-side-up egg on top. I thought it was delicious, but still felt that 1,300 yen was a bit expensive. 【Customer Service】I believe one of the reasons why this restaurant has many reviews is because of their polite customer service. From seating us to providing water and even checking if it was raining outside, the staff was very kind and their hospitality left a lasting impression. 【Rating at the time of posting】★: 3.49 Reviews: 817 people

This is my third visit. After trying the Oyster Butter Yaki and the Special Katsu Don, this time I had the hamburger. It was a classic hamburger topped with demi-glace sauce and a fried egg. Unlike the one I had at Tsutsui in Kayabacho last month, this one was light and tender. It was a delicious hamburger. There are many menu options at Koharukoen, and the prices are reasonable. The staff is also very kind, which makes me want to come back again and again. There seem to be many elderly customers (including myself) but maybe that's because the atmosphere is welcoming and comfortable. Next time, I'll try the fried foods like Menchi Katsu or Croquette.

Famous Western-style restaurant in Ningyocho. Selected as one of the Top 100 Western-style Restaurants in 2022. It is said to have been opened by Shuzaburo Kojima, a former chef of Meiji statesman Aritomo Yamagata. Established in 1912, this long-standing restaurant is known for reviving the flavors of the Meiji era. The famous dish here is the Katsudon, which is often featured in various media. I have visited a few times before. The service is attentive. During lunchtime, there is a bit of a line. After a short wait, I entered. The restaurant has an old-fashioned charm but is well maintained and clean. I ordered the Katsudon for 1300 yen and the Ebi Fry for 500 yen. The Katsudon comes with six pieces of cutlet and vegetables, seasoned with a demi-glace sauce-based broth. The cutlet still had a crispy texture, similar to tonkatsu. The not overly sweet sauce with a hint of soy sauce made it very appetizing. The colorful vegetables included potatoes, bell peppers, onions, and carrots. Breaking the soft-boiled egg is always enjoyable. The clam soup on the side had a light and delicious flavor. The Ebi Fry was thick and made with juicy shrimp meat. It was a bit disappointing that there was no tartar sauce, but it was still quite tasty as an Ebi Fry. Overall, I think this restaurant offers satisfying Western-style dishes at affordable prices.

I visited the restaurant around 1 pm on a weekday after renewing my license in Toyocho. The restaurant had a 90% occupancy rate and I was seated at the counter. Despite not being the cleanest place, the nostalgic Showa-era atmosphere was charming. I ordered the signature dish, the distinctive Kogane-Ken Tonkatsu for 1300 yen, which came with miso soup with clams. I don't eat clams, but the texture was too gritty for me to enjoy them. However, the tonkatsu itself was impressive! It looked intimidating but exceeded my expectations with its crispy texture and smaller size, making it easy to eat and flavorful. Although it wasn't the best value for money, it's definitely a recommended option among tonkatsu restaurants in Ningyocho.

It's been a while since I had lunch in the Ningyocho and Suitengu-mae area. One of the highlights around here is Kohariken. I haven't been here in a while, so I decided to have the pork cutlet bowl. It was delicious. The cutlet was tender, and you can tell they don't use frozen vegetables because of the flavor of each vegetable. The miso soup with clams was also delicious. You can tell it's made with good clams. The person next to me had a mixed plate with shrimp fry. I'd like to come back with a few friends and try different dishes. Thank you for the meal. I will visit again.

- Koharukan's Special Katsudon with Clam Soup for 1300 yen. By 11:45, the restaurant was already full, with many senior customers who seemed like regulars. The dish consists of a fillet cutlet simmered in demi-glace sauce, topped with onions, carrots, potatoes, and green peppers, with a half-cooked sunny-side-up egg on top. The secret demi-glace sauce infused into the crispy coating is moist but not soggy, with a slight crunch. When you bite into it, the sauce oozes out, making it delicious. The demi-glace sauce is not too thick or overpowering, with a gentle flavor that still locks in the umami. The meat is slightly tough, but it's been sliced to be chewable. The bite-sized portions make it easy to eat, appealing even to women. The coating has a fragrant lard aroma and a savory taste.

In conclusion, the colorful katsudon at Kohariken in Ningyocho not only looks appealing but also lifts your mood with its delicious taste. This fresh katsudon, topped with various vegetables, a fried egg, and bite-sized pork cutlets, satisfies all expectations of a katsudon while offering a unique texture and a healthy option. I look forward to trying their croquettes next time. Thank you for the meal.

I visited a little before 1 pm. It was my third attempt to enter as they had temporary closures twice before. There are 4 tables and 2 counter seats available, with a few empty seats. They close at 1 pm on the day I visited. Although I was interested in the mixed fry, I decided to order the pork cutlet bowl that I often see in the media. It came with miso soup for 1300 yen and arrived in about 7 minutes. The colorful paprika, potatoes, onions, and carrots were perfectly cooked, with a nice mix of textures. The cutlet had a strong broth-based sauce and was light in flavor. It can be described as a guilt-free cutlet bowl. It's a taste that makes you want to eat it a few times a week. The staff's crisp service made me want to visit again.

Wow, delicious. Really delicious. I was impressed after a long time. I've been wanting to come here for a while, but I regret not coming sooner. I've fallen in love with this place. The simple and stylish atmosphere, the feeling of cherishing even the repaired broken chairs, it's all good. I came around 11:30 am on a weekday and it was empty, but 10 minutes later it was full. I ordered the butter-grilled marlin (900 yen) without thinking. You can add miso soup with clams for 100 yen. Many people around me ordered the special assorted plate and the special pork cutlet bowl. I was surprised by the size of the butter-grilled marlin when it arrived. I thought it would come in 2-3 pieces, but it was a big one piece. Even though it's big, the flavor is well-balanced and solid. And the taste is at a level of "why is this so delicious?" When you squeeze the lemon on it, the deliciousness goes up by 30%. I'm glad I found Koharuken today. I want to try all the menu items! I will definitely come back. Thank you for the meal.