The Bishamon-Ten Group have taken over the second-floor space vacated by the recent closure of Curry House on Sawtelle Boulevard. Midoh Japanese Kitchen has a sister location in Rowland Heights. Japanese comfort food at an affordable price is the name of the game at Midoh. And while the offerings here break no new culinary ground, the food is nevertheless prepared deliciously. So I feel, in many ways, Midoh manages to recaptures some of the old community spirit of Curry House.
Tonkatsu (loin cut) with Curry… Beautifully breaded and fried. This is almost as good as the stuff from Kimukatsu (which is just across the street). The curry is delightful, and the fukujinzuke makes for a spirited companion to go with it. My buttered spinach supplement was a tad on the too-buttery side, but it accompanied my curry nicely.
Hamburg with demi-glace sauce and topped with poached eggs, beans, candied carrot, and potatoes… This is the Midoh signature dish. And the sauce was excellent. The hamburg itself was flawless. The adeptly-prepared egg topping was perfunctory, but not truly essential for enjoyment of this dish.
Featuring well-made food that won’t break the bank, Midoh is another welcome addition to the neighborhood. My hamburg and tonkatsu were both skillfully cooked and presented. There is still a bunch of dishes (like their nine variations on udon) I would like to try on future visits. Service was very attentive and friendly. It takes chutzpah to grand open a second-story restaurant in L.A. during a pandemic. Give this place a shot.
Midoh (Sawtelle Japantown)
2130 S. Sawtelle Bl., Ste. 200
Los Angeles, CA 90025
424.465.9033 website
That sounds like a winner to me. Sometimes a homey place w/ good-enough food that’s consistent in quality and wide in variety is just perfect. Will be giving it a try soon…
I was going to give Midoh a week or two to iron out any opening hiccups that might occur, but after seeing this post, I had to go there today!
I got takeout, and I’m happy to say that the tonkatsu, both pork loin and chicken, held up perfectly. The meat was juicy, with a crispy exterior. Their curry was the perfect accompaniment. The plain Japanese curry comes with rice, salad and soup (corn or miso). I still have enough curry leftover that I can use it for another meal.
I also got a side of chicken tonkatsu, side of rice and a miso soup for my picky daughter for $8.50. Total deal! She’s been eating supermarket katsu during the pandemic, so eating a freshly made tonkatsu was a huge treat.
I’m already planning out my next meal from Midoh! Oh, and they will take your temperature, even if you’re picking up. That was a first for me.
Hamburg add cheese curry and gyu-tan for next visit!
These are from Rowland Heights location, but they are two of my favorites from them. And I prefer the filet tonkatsu, it is juicier and more tender than the loin, even though they claim it is more fatty. I have only had their nabeyaki udon which is solid, the tempura is not their strong suit however. And I love the chili condiment they give you (or you ask for) to add to the curry.
@A5KOBE I’m pretty sure you put me on this place. Our kids love it. We like the tempura loin, hamburg steak and udon. Always had great service in Rowland Heights pre-covid. The parking lot is actually not as bad as it seems while driving on the 60. We tried Dukes a couple times and thought it was eh. No better or worse than 85 degrees but a few more inventive breads.
I got the pork loin katsu, which was juicy, crispy and piping hot. The fat cap is pure luxury, and surprising at this price point. In some ways I prefer this to the loin katsu at Kagura, which I adore but in my experience arrives at a more relaxed temperature.
Beyond that, the katsu sauce is stellar. Can I buy a bottle of this stuff? It’s punchier than the Bull-Dog sauce we know and love, which is saying something. Ditto to the ground mustard, which is a good sign that you’re in the presence of a tonkatsu specialist.
The curry is on the thin side, similar to Coco Curry Ichibanya but a thousand times better. A great place for this excellent katsu to take a bath. I generally prefer a heartier curry with chunks of vegetables and pork, but this is plenty enjoyable even on a hot day. There’s a side of chili oil for extra oomph, which also packs a ton of flavor. I would also buy a jar of this if given the opportunity.
Also picked up a katsu sando to go, featuring the excellent bread from Cream Pan. These are served hot, but I love the cold ones from Hamda Ya with crunchy cabbage. I miss that textural contrast, but this is still a good sandwich. Next time, I would ask for an extra side of katsu sauce to dip these in.
Bonus: I got a side of fries for fun. I didn’t realize they would be curly fries, which I haven’t had for a long time. It tastes as if it came from a Japanese Arby’s or Jack in the Box, which I promise is a compliment. The seasoning is nostalgic, although it’s an odd pairing with everything else on the menu. I’m sure kids will love it.
Wow, thanks for the report. I hadn’t realized a new place opened up there since curry house closed down. I’ve only popped into Nijiya market for some sushi and hadn’t paid much attention to the what’s opened above. Will definitely check out Midoh.
Echo all the positives above. Fry on the tonkatsu filet was excellent and held up beautifully in travel. Curry rice set was great and plentiful—curry was on the thinner side but really nice as others have mentioned; loved the chili oil to amp it up. Hamburg steak was a fantastic medium-rare. Got the demi-glace and added a teriyaki (demi-glace was the winner). House salad, scoop of potato salad, see you tomorrow. Lots of food, well packaged, super friendly service. Ready for more!
Took some pics of the menu as the one on the site isn’t the greatest. Also, the third-party sites can go kick rocks—I figure the restaurant has some input on the prices that appear on those sites, but they’re absurd. So, even for pickup/takeout, skip Grubhub and call the restaurant to order. I know it doesn’t need to be said but I’m saying it anyway.
Had a lovely sit down out door dinner at the Sawtelle location a couple of days ago.
While they do advertise alcoholic beverage options (only one sake option, several bottled beers, and Asahi on draft), they are still working on their permit and don’t have it available. I had the tonkatsu curry, hamburg, potato salad, udon carbonara, curly fries, and corn soup. All very satisfying. We were the only ones there the entire evening minus a couple of carry out orders. The entire staff were extremely nice. Price point is excellent as well, I’ll definitely be coming back + recommend to everyone.
Hmmmm… Neopolitan Udon (or more like “Napolitan”)!
(Think of something similar to HK cafe wok stir fried ketchup spaghetti, but using udon instead and probably sauteed/pan fried…comfort food fusion).
And… pork ginger / ginger pork (shoga yaki)… though that version might be more like a pork chop style, (and not the thinly sliced sauteed with onions version at teishoku restaurants…very confusing given the two approaches). Still can be very tasty.
Thanks for posting the menu! Their online menu is sorely lacking, as it didn’t specify that the signature, katsu meal and curry come with soup and salad. I saw that there’s a fish & chips listed under appetizers that would pair nicely with their curry!
Also, it’s always good to reinforce calling the restaurant to pick up your order! I think GrubHub added onto the pricing so they can make a few $. The people working at Midoh are so nice and friendly. I really hope Midoh beats the odds and stays afloat!
though that version might be more like a pork chop style, (and not the thinly sliced sauteed with onions version at teishoku restaurants…very confusing given the two approaches). Still can be very tasty.
