Gokuatsuya is a casual restaurant in Takadanobaba that specializes in Japanese ginger pork dishes, also known as shogayaki. It is located on the ground floor of a house that has been rearranged with a few counter seats, and it mostly attracts nearby salarymen.
I walked past Gokuatsuya a dozen times before really noticing it. It looks so unassuming that I thought I might try it one day, if I ever ran out of places to try.
Well, even though I didn’t run out of places to try, I happened to be in Takadanobaba for lunch. I didn’t have time to be picky, and since Gokuatsuya was on the way, I decided to give it a try.
Ginger pork is not the type of food I usually go for when I want to eat Japanese. I am not a big fan of pork meat to start with — I often find it too dry.
極厚しょうが焼き定食 （辛）(Spicy Gokuatsuya shogayaki teishoku), 1,050 yen
極厚しょうが焼き定食 （みそ）(Miso Gokuatsuya shogayaki teishoku), 1,050 yen
I ordered their recommended dish, the 極厚しょうが焼き定食 (Gokuatsuya shogayaki teishoku) and was impressed from the first bite. I had had shogayaki before but it was nothing like Gokuatsuya‘s ginger pork.
First of all, it did not look like regular shogayaki. Usually, the meat is sliced in thin pieces and mixed together with onions and ginger flavoring. At Gokuatsuya, the pork is served as a big thick slice covered in soy, miso or spicy sauce depending on your liking.
The meat is so tender you don’t even need a knife to cut it!
What surprised me the most was the texture of the meat. It literally melted in my mouth. It was nothing like the dry rubbery meat I had at other places. The meat is so tender that you do not even need a knife to cut it. The secret of Gokuatsuya is that they let the meat simmer for at least 20 hours before serving it. Yes, this tenderness is the fruit of long labor!
Overall
I was so pleasantly surprised that I went back a couple of times. I highly recommend sticking to the 極厚しょうが焼き定食 (Gokuatsuya shogayaki teishoku). My favorite flavoring is the spicy one! It is actually quite mild. If you are around Gokuatsuya, don’t let its appearance fool you and get in. It’s a hidden gem that won’t disappoint you!
Gokuatsuya
Opening hours: Open from Monday to Friday from 11:30 to 15:30 for lunch and from 17:30 to 21:00 for dinner. Closed on weekends and national holidays.
Website (Japanese only): click here
Address: 乙二 building, 3-16-21 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku
Telephone: 03-6321-7147
