With a range of other delectable Japanese restaurants in the area, I visited Chidori with very high expectations for their famous sous-vide katsu. Safe to say they did not disappoint me! Super tender and soft meat inside, lightly battered and not too oily on the inside, this was hands down one of the best katsu meals I’ve had in Sydney.

Location: 4/29 Holtermann St, Crows Nest NSW 2065
Price: $20-28 per dish
Website: https://www.facebook.com/chidorijapanesebistro/

Melissa: 9/10, crumbly soft and delicious, best katsu in Sydney!*

The first dish that arrived was their omelette rice, which was delicious in a simple way. Melted cheese, tomato sauce, egg and a simple soy sauce fried rice inside, this was reminiscent of a simple nostalgic childhood dish for me. We opted for a side of karaage chicken to round out the dish, which was light, tender and juicy.

Next up, we ordered the wagyu katsu set. This was delicious, the batter was lightly crumbed and the meatiness of the wagyu went well with their light soy dipping sauce and wasabi. The serving was very generous, and came with a light salad to cleanse the palette. The set menu came with miso soup (fairly standard) and a side of rice as well.

The tonkatsu set was equally delicious, some of the softest, most tender tonkatsu I’ve had in my life. Delicious and again in generous portions. I had a slight preference for the tonkatsu over the wagyu katsu as the meatiness of the beef I found to grow slightly overwhelming, especially after eating the generous portion they served. However if you are looking for the umami flavours that sometimes only beef will give you, you may prefer the wagyu.

A special mention to the sesame sauce they had in the restaurant for the salads. It tasted to me like a combination of sesame sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce with hints of lemon and black pepper and was the perfect sauce to go with the katsu, the salad and even the rice.

Whilst there were a range of other things on their menu – ramen, sushi, bento boxes, we were solely focussed on trying their famous katsu dishes. I would highly recommend trying this place, and if you live in and around the area, it would be an excellent takeaway option to eat at home with your own rice and sides. Definitely be back to try out some more of the menu.

*The high rating is based primarily on the katsu they serve. While I would not necessarily be craving katsu, nor eat it every day, it remains one of the best I’ve had in Sydney.