Sauce-Katsu Diner "Europe-Ken"

Fukui's most authentic & popular Deep-fried Pork diner

Takako Sakamoto Oct 18, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>Europe-Ken viewed from the street in daytime</p>

<p>Noren curtain hanging at the entrance of Europe-Ken in Fukui reads, 'Western Cuisine'</p>

<p>Night-time view of Europe-Ken in Fukui</p>

<p>Inside Europe-Ken; there are western table seats with chairs and also tables on a tatami-mat floor</p>

<p>These are examples of the famous Fukui specialty, Sauce-Katsu-Don (Deep fried pork dipped in special sauce on rice)</p>

<p>At dinner time, it's always crowded like this with many diners</p>

<p>Baby Sauce Katsu Set...they don't look like 'baby-size' pieces to me at all!</p>

<p>My dinner -  'Deep fried ground beef'</p>

<p>There's only one flavor of sauce available here, their special sour sauce, a favorite in Fukui!</p>

<p>For some reason, the statue of a happy-faced Daikoku-ten is displayed here</p>

<p>Autographs of celebrities who have visited this restaurant decorate the wall</p>

Until I started to live in Fukui city, I'd never heard of the name 'Sauce Katsu Don (Deep-fried pork dipped in a special sauce on rice)' in my life. This restaurant, 'Europe-Ken', is the place that EVERYONE recommended that I go, because, this restaurant was founded by the chef who 'invented' it! Europe-Ken's history dates back to 1913. Mr. Masutaro Takabatake, who was born in Fukui, went to Berlin in 1907 for five years to learn western cooking. When he returned to Japan, he opened the restaurant called, 'Europe-Ken' in 1913, first in Tokyo, and it then later moved to Yokosuka. After the Great Kanto Earthquake (1923) destroyed his restaurant, he returned to his hometown, Fukui, and founded this restaurant in Katamachi in 1924. So, the 'Sauce-Katsu' served here is the most authentic, original Sauce Katsu of all! If you wonder how it tastes, come try it yourself!

Takako Sakamoto @takako.sakamoto

I was born in and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, and have lived in many places since then: Nishinomiya, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka and Fukui. I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. The histor...