After a beach walk with Coco, we stumbled across a Japanese restaurant that pushed us out of our comfort zone. Miso katsu, curry udon and creamy miso udon aren’t dishes we normally order, but they ended up being the stars of the afternoon. Katsu Tei Takapuna serves crispy katsu sets, curry udon and creamy miso udon in a relaxed setting near Takapuna Beach.
One of the things we enjoy most about living on the North Shore is being able to combine a beach walk with a good meal afterwards. On this particular day, we had taken Coco for a walk along Takapuna Beach and, as usual, started looking for somewhere nearby to grab lunch.
Finding dog-friendly places can sometimes be a challenge, but Katsu Tei immediately caught our attention because they offer outdoor seating where dogs are welcome. Being just a short walk from the beach made it an easy choice.
What we expected was a decent Japanese lunch.
What we got was a surprisingly enjoyable introduction to several dishes we had somehow managed to avoid ordering all these years.
One thing that stood out immediately was how pleasant the restaurant felt.
The dining room is clean, spacious and comfortable, with a relaxed atmosphere that makes you want to linger a little longer. Unlike many busy eateries these days, there was no loud music competing with conversations. It felt calm and welcoming, which was exactly what we wanted after spending the morning outdoors.
Even though the restaurant was busy during our visit, service remained attentive and efficient. The staff were friendly throughout the meal and our food arrived surprisingly quickly considering how full the dining room was.
Parking around Takapuna can sometimes be frustrating, but compared to many city locations, getting here is relatively straightforward.
One reason this visit was memorable was because nearly everything we ordered was outside our usual comfort zone.
Japanese food is something we eat regularly, but we tend to stick with familiar favourites. If we see options like miso katsu, curry udon or creamy miso udon on a menu, we usually end up ordering something else.
At Katsu Tei, however, these dishes form the core of the menu, so we decided it was time to branch out.
I’m glad we did.
The dish that intrigued us the most was the Nagoya Miso Katsu Gozen.
Originating from Nagoya in central Japan, miso katsu features crispy breaded pork cutlet covered in a rich miso-based sauce rather than the more familiar tonkatsu sauce.
I ordered the Miso Pork Fillet Katsu Set for NZ$24.80.
The pork fillet was beautifully cooked. The coating remained crisp despite the generous amount of sauce, while the meat inside stayed moist and tender.
The miso sauce was the real highlight. Rich, savoury and slightly sweet, it delivered a completely different flavour profile from traditional katsu sauces. It was hearty and comforting without feeling overly heavy.
It was easy to see why this style has become a regional speciality in Japan.
The biggest surprise of the meal was probably the Creamy Miso Udon, priced at NZ$19.80 and served with pork sirloin katsu.
At first glance, it looked almost like a Japanese take on a creamy pasta sauce.
The broth was silky and rich, combining the savoury depth of miso with a smooth creaminess that coated every strand of udon. The noodles themselves had a satisfying chewiness and held the broth exceptionally well.
The accompanying pork sirloin katsu added both texture and substance to the meal.
This was one of those dishes that sounded unusual on paper but worked remarkably well in practice.
The final dish we tried was the Katsu Tei Curry Udon, priced at NZ$18.90 and served with chicken karaage.
I absolutely love Japanese curry, but almost always with rice.
Seeing it served with noodles felt a little strange.
The curry broth itself was rich and warming, and the thick udon noodles soaked up the flavour nicely. The vegetables added sweetness and texture, creating a hearty and filling bowl.
That said, this was probably the only dish that didn’t completely win us over.
There was nothing wrong with it technically. It was simply a flavour combination that didn’t quite suit our personal preferences. We both agreed we’d happily eat Japanese curry with rice again, but curry with udon probably isn’t something we’d actively seek out.
Still, trying something different is part of the fun of dining out.
Another strength of Katsu Tei is the value.
Many of the set meals include rice, miso soup and salad, with prices starting from around NZ$19.80. Considering current dining prices, that’s very reasonable.
The portions were generous and left us thoroughly satisfied.
The katsu itself was consistently excellent across all the dishes we sampled. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside and clearly prepared with care.
The accompanying salad was simple but fresh, and the dressing added a pleasant tangy contrast to the richness of the fried dishes.
While there are no complimentary refills of rice, soup or salad, that’s entirely understandable given the pricing.
Naturally, comparisons with other katsu specialists are inevitable.
If I compare it with Katsu Katsu, I would say Katsu Katsu perhaps has a slight edge when it comes to the meat itself. However, Katsu Tei wins comfortably in several other areas.
The dining environment is more spacious, the atmosphere is more relaxed and parking is significantly easier. These factors make a noticeable difference when deciding where to return.
For a casual meal after a beach walk, those practical advantages count for a lot.
Katsu Tei turned out to be far more memorable than we expected.
What started as a convenient dog-friendly lunch stop after walking Coco became an opportunity to try several Japanese dishes that had somehow escaped our attention for years.
The miso katsu was rich and deeply satisfying, the creamy miso udon was surprisingly delicious and even the curry udon, while not quite to our taste, was an interesting experience.
Combined with friendly service, reasonable prices, comfortable surroundings and a location just moments from Takapuna Beach, it’s easy to see why this restaurant has built a loyal following.
We’ll definitely be back, and next time I suspect there will be even more menu items outside our comfort zone waiting to be discovered.
Katsu Tei
Address: 62/78 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, Auckland 0622, New Zealand
Phone: +649 485 3955
Website: https://www.fpcnz.co.nz/stores/katsu-tei-takapuna-auckland
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