Mr Katsu is a restaurant at 202 Stokes Valley Rd in Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt, its name pointing to the Japanese breaded cutlet, with a 4.4 Google rating behind it.
Katsu is simple food that lives or dies on freshness: a good cutlet is crumbed in panko and fried to order, so the crust shatters rather than sogs. The classic plate pairs sliced cutlet with shredded cabbage and a tangy tonkatsu sauce, while katsu curry and katsu over rice are the heartier takes most people come back for. A short wait while food is cooked fresh is usually a good sign, and regulars judge these places by whether the crunch survives a second visit.
On the valley's main road, Mr Katsu gives Stokes Valley a neighbourhood spot for this kind of honest Japanese comfort food.