As dinnertime approached, I developed a sudden craving for chicken katsu. OK, I knew what I wanted to eat, but where??? It was almost 9:00 pm, and almost everywhere was closed. I didn't want to go too far from home...then suddenly it hit me. I decided that I would go to Café Imperial. This place is in a convenient location in town, but a little off the beaten path. If you've never been there, you probably wouldn't even know it was there. It's in the lobby of a commercial/residential building in the heart of Honolulu. The exterior is quite non-descript and doesn't really give itself away as to what's inside.
Once you step inside, you realize how small it is. It's an intimate space with about 10 or so tables, with seating for approximately 30-40 people at any given time. This place is usually crowded during lunchtime, and because they only recently started opening for dinner, it's not really crowded when we arrive.
Tonight, I have the chicken katsu donburi (US$9.95). This is chicken katsu, or deep fried boneless chicken, cooked in eggs with onions over rice. It's served with miso soup and tsukemono (pickled and preserved vegetables).
My dining partner opts for the just the chicken katsu(US$9.95).
This dish is also served with a bowl of rice, miso soup and also includes fresh cabbage and potato salad on the plate.
Both dishes are eaten with tonkatsu sauce.
This is the best chicken katsu that I've ever had! The chicken is tender and seems to just melt in your mouth. The food and service is excellent, although the prices are a little high. Judging by the amount of food we're served, I'd say this is an excellent value.