Ajitsukasa Nomura

Aji-no-Mori Nomura is the original restaurant of Okayama’s famous B-grade gourmet dish: demi-glace sauce katsudon (domi-katsu), and it is a long-established shop founded in 1931 (Showa 6). It was said to have become a hot topic after being featured on a very popular TV program. Even though there are restaurants in the Kanto area that serve domi-katsu as an “Okayama specialty,” many say the authentic local version is the best. The menu also includes a standard egg-bound katsudon, which is also excellent. For those who can’t decide and want both, there is a set where you can eat both the signature domi-katsu and the standard egg-bound katsudon; they’re served in slightly smaller bowls so it’s a reasonable amount to finish. The nearest station is the Okayama Electric Tramway “Nishigawa Ryokudo Koen Station,” but it’s also only about a 5-minute walk from JR Okayama Station. By the way, “domi-glace” is considered the correct term; the “demi” pronunciation is said to have spread as a misreading of the French spelling “Demi-glace” when it came to Japan. If someone says, “Isn’t it demi-glace?” you can share that trivia.