Tare katsudon
タレかつ丼Dish
Tare katsudon suits anyone who finds the egg-topped katsudon too heavy, and its catch is that you mostly find it in Niigata city, a long way from the ski towns.
Niigata's katsudon has no egg. Thin cutlets of pork come out of the fryer, go through a sweet soy sauce and land on rice, usually two or more to a bowl.
The agriculture ministry's record traces it to an old Western-food house in Niigata city's Furumachi in the early Showa years, when dipping a cutlet in soy sauce was a bold idea. Cooks trained there opened their own shops, and the style spread across the city.
In the snow towns the dish turns up on a few menus. Myoko Tourism's listing for Hanako in Ikenotaira includes a tare katsudon, but that entry dates from 2021.
Quick answers about Tare katsudonよくある質問
How do you order Tare katsudon?
Order it by name and expect no egg.
When is Tare katsudon in season?
Tare katsudon: Eaten all year.