I am a sucker for delicious Katsu and you'll struggle to find better than Katsu-Hama. Katsu-Hama…read morehas a quaint, Japanese vibe in a small but comfortable dining area. It's not especially big, so you may have a bit of a wait if you frequent right at lunch or in the evening but whatever amount of time you have to wait it will be well worth it. Service is top tier but you come for the food. They have a varied menu with a lot of options so if you're bringing a buddy that isn't up for Katsu, they'll have plenty to choose from. The Katsu is the star and I think what sets this place apart is that they offer Berkshire pork katsu as an option. Arguably some of the best pork, it's great to have the option if you're looking to heighten the experience. I love their pork katsu and go nuts over the chicken katsu curry. It's super crispy, slightly greasy but never off-putting. And it's served with the most delicate and delicious cabbage slaw. I could eat a mountain of this it's so good. Highly recommended.

This place is a bit hard to spot, but it's on the same side of the street as the sorta famous (50…read moreyears +) Phil's Stationery. Katsu-Hama is about two doors to the Left of Phil's, and has minimal, very discreet signage. I got some tonkatsu...I forget the exact type, but it was essentially the most fatty of the tonkatsu offered. It came with cabbage (with a sesame ginger type dressing), daikon radish (with some type of sauce on top), and the standard sauce for the tonkatsu, along with some crushed sesame seed and hot mustard. I'd have to say...the tonkatsu was quite good....not quite as sublime as my favorite tonkatsu place in Tokyo...but still, very, very good. The dish also came with a bowl of miso soup (good, and not overly salty) and a bowl of white rice, which I considered the most disappointing part of the meal. The rice seemed a bit dried out...not moist.... All in all, an excellent meal. I'd definitely come back.

Mitsuwa Marketplace is a huge complex with a variety of Japanese vendors offering food,…read moremerchandise, and a large grocery market. There's also a sizable food court where you can grab a variety of Japanese dishes and sit at communal tables to eat. When I visited, the grocery store had food samplings throughout, which made browsing even more fun. The produce and seafood sections had some particularly unique offerings you don't normally see in typical supermarkets. There are also aisles for beer, sake, wine, and other alcohol. Self-checkout was easy, and while the place can get insanely busy overall, it's a really fun place to explore if you visit during off-peak times.

Had the rice balls, tried the miso soup combo and it was really worth it. It's not anything huge,…read morebut it satisfies the soup need. The chicken bomb rice bomb was, meh. There wasn't a lot of chicken, I felt like I had more peanuts and bits of chicken. The sauce was pretty good and it the rice was fresh. Get the salmon or the mushroom one, not the chicken one. The employees were helpful and super nice. Didn't feel rushed.