This is Rumoi, Japan. Today's restaurant is Umiuma. It's located about a 10-minute walk from Rumoi Station, off the main street where there are a few scattered izakayas. The exterior looks a bit like a snack bar, giving off a slightly shady vibe. I was curious about it, and when a familiar face from my usual hangout mentioned that they knew this place well, I was taken there. The place has a counter with 6 seats and a table that can seat 4 people. The owner is a venerable gentleman over 80 years old, who seems to have watched over Rumoi's history with dignity. The menu is similar to a tonkatsu restaurant, offering dishes like pork cutlets, ginger pork, and even soba. The soba is made from dried noodles. The beer, priced at 620 yen, is a bottle of Super Dry served ice-cold. The tonkatsu, priced at 850 yen, had meat with a good balance of tenderness and flavor. It was made with loin meat, but had a lower fat content. The unique aspect was the crispy texture of the batter, which was a bit firm and crunchy. Along with the cabbage, there were cucumber, tomato, and onion slices served as a side salad, which was a nice touch. The pork chop, priced at 1000 yen, sizzled on a hot plate when it arrived. The meat, likely from the shoulder loin, had a good balance of fat. The sauce for the chop was a slightly thick ketchup-based sauce, which was delicious and paired well with the beer. The dish also came with a salad, along with grilled bell peppers and paprika, adding a healthy touch to the meal. My companion, who has been coming here since childhood, tried the pork chop for the first time and found it delicious. The restaurant is open for dinner, offering set meals as well, making it a good option for dinner. Despite its unassuming exterior, this historic and delicious tonkatsu restaurant was a pleasant surprise. Thank you for the meal!

Having a drink at Rinnishi. It's a small tonkatsu restaurant behind the set meal restaurant "Satsuki". I passed by during the day and didn't see a sign, so it seems to be a night-only place. Inside, there are counter seats and small table seats. The menu includes tonkatsu, tempura, and soba noodles. I thought there would be more dishes to go with alcohol, but the menu is more like a regular restaurant than I expected. I ordered a beer (620 yen) and "Tonchappu" (1000 yen). They fry thick slices of pork loin in a frying pan, add ketchup sauce for seasoning, cut it with a knife, and serve it on a cast iron plate, pouring the remaining sauce and meat juices over it. The ketchup sauce has a nice tangy flavor, and it's simple and filling. The beer goes down quite smoothly with this dish. The middle-aged master is friendly, and there's a TV, so it's a good place for solo drinking.

The tonkatsu was relatively small but delicious. It's an old restaurant with a very cozy atmosphere. It's a shame that there is no parking lot. It was tasty.

I recently visited and became a regular at this place. I ordered only my favorite items regardless of the menu. I had pork cutlet, shrimp, scallop fry, and beer.

After drinking, ramen is good but curry is also good. The seafood curry here is good. A warm gentleman welcomes you with a smile.

They have also started serving highballs.

Muroran City, Rinsei - A very suspicious looking shop that is difficult to enter. I had been curious about this shop for a while, hearing rumors that their tonkatsu is delicious. Upon entering, the interior is narrow but surprisingly pleasant. The master, who seems to be around 50 years old, is very friendly. I ordered the hirekatsu set meal. You can see the chef cooking behind the counter, and it's clear that they are very meticulous. When the dish arrived, I was surprised and intrigued. The hirekatsu here is unique. It was crispy, tender, and delicious! The size was also very easy to eat. The set meal came with rice, which was served in a convenient mound shape. The pickled radish was tasty and complemented the rice well. I enjoyed eating it with both soy sauce and sauce. It was delicious! Next time, I want to try their tonkatsu. I would definitely like to visit this shop again. The only downside is the shop's appearance, as you can imagine from the outside - it looks shady, is not inviting, and the interior is cramped. It's not the kind of place you would take a young girl to...