You’re probably familiar with tonkatsu – deep-fried breaded pork cutlets – but have you come across salmon katsu in Tokyo? This rare find is available at Ermitage, a seafood restaurant which has recently gone viral on social media for its photogenic salmon katsu donburi topped with ikura (salmon roe) and tobiko (flying fish roe).
What’s special about this katsu is that thick pieces of Norwegian salmon are deep-fried with a special technique that creates a golden crispy crust but leaves the centre raw like sashimi. The fatty salmon is so tender it feels like biting into a piece of butter. Making it even more sumptuous is the generous topping of ikura and tobiko, which creates pops of salty, savoury brininess to complement the fish. On the side is a mix-it-yourself soy and tartare sauce to help relieve all that richness.
The salmon katsu donburi is available during lunch and dinner for ¥2,530. At lunch, it’s served as a set with a salad. For dinner, however, there’s an extra seating charge of ¥528.