Hakata

Executive Chef Koji Hagihara moved from Japan five years ago. The red clover leaf identifies where Hakata is located and chef Koji points to his hometown outside of Tokyo.

Le Chef Pin

Before working at Hakata Tonton, chef Koji was the chef de cuisine at Gramercy Hotel’s Wakiya for one year. He was given the Le Chef pin from Executive Chef Yuji Wakiya.

Cult-like Devotion to Pig's Feet

Hakata Tonton’s menu reveres pigs’ feet. The cuisine is from the southern region Hakata, in Kyushu, Japan, where pigs’ feet are a staple.

Tonsoku | Pigs’ Trotters | 豚足

Tonsoku is rich in collagen and it is said that eating it helps maintain the elasticity of the skin, which means less wrinkles.

Slow-cooked Berkshire Pork Belly

The result of slow cooking the pork belly is a melding of the sauce with the fattiness and sweetness from the cut of pork.

Where Chefs Eat

If you visit Hakata Tonton later in the night, you'll see many Japanese chefs coming to eat after their own shifts.

Sweet & Tender

Putting the final touches on the slow-cooked pork belly.

Grilled Pork Belly

Grilling the pork belly provides a different texture than the slow-cooked version. The richness from the pork and the fat remain, but it’s firmer and crispier.

Mentaiko | Spicy Salted Pollock Roe

Chef Koji chars the outside of the roe sack using a blowtorch.

Spicy Cod Roe

The charred roe is soft and tender with a balance of brininess and spice.

Black Port Pate

Black pork pate seasoned with Japanese sansho pepper, sea salt and chili oil. Everything’s in balance on this plate -- the richness of the pork pate is countered with the heat from the chili oil and a slight punch from the sansho chili.

Wall of Fame

Renowned Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa gave his stamp of approval by autographing Hakata Tonton’s dining room wall.

Veal Liver Sashimi

The menu at Hakata Tonton covers all bases and one area it covers in detail is offal. The veal liver sashimi with scallions, sesame and a spicy soy sauce is not for the faint of heart.

Chef Koji Hagihara

While chef Koji is known for many of his cooked dishes, he is the very first certified sushi chef in New York by AJSA Sushi Skills Institute.

Pork on Skewers

Glistening chunks of pork goodness on a stick. Sharing dishes at Hakata Tonton means you can try more things, but you may have the urge to eat the whole thing yourself.

Grilled Pork Tonsuku

Grilled pig trotters served with scallions and spicy yuzu paste ponzu sauce. The tonsoku used at Hakata Tonton is from Wisconsin Berkshire pigs. The feet are boiled first to make the meat and collagen soft and then grilled to crisp the skin.

Eat your wrinkles away with collagen-rich Tonsoku (pigs's feet). It's the specialty of the house at Hakata Tonton and like an edible fountain of youth.

"Every time I try chef Koji Hagihara's dishes, they surprise me and I so enjoy it."
FED Pro > Chef Chikara Sono (Kyo Ya)

"Come here for the Pig's Feet Dumplings."
FED Pro > Chef Edward Lee (610 Magnolia)

"I love this food. It’s cooking from my hometown Fukoka. Order the motsu nabe offal hot pot."
FED Pro > Chef Abe Hiroki (EN Japanese Brasserie)

By Chef Kogi Hagihara | Photos by Photographer Troy House

Hakata Tonton is a Japanese restaurant which encourages beautiful skin by serving the nouvelle local cuisine of the Hakata borough, Fukuoka prefecture in the Kyushu area. We serve foods such as Mentaiko (Spicy caviar cod roe), Tonsoku (pork feet), and Motsunabe. You can enjoy many different kind of flavors across Asia.

九州福岡、博多の郷土料理、辛子明太子・豚足・モツ鍋や豚肉を中心とした新感覚のテイスト、アジア全土のフレーバー楽しめる美肌促進の日本食レストラン。

Motsunabe is a hot pot dish made famous in Fukuoka, Japan. A hodgepodge of delicious soup broth, cabbage, Asian chives, and beef tripe. Offal is used in cuisines from all over the world. It is also used cleverly in this special dish that has become a gastro-sensation in Japan.

有名な日本の福岡で作られた熱い鍋料理です。おいしいスープスープの煮込み、キャベツ、アジアアサツキ、牛肉トライプスープ。くず肉のすべての世界の料理に使用されているからだ。また、巧みに胃の感覚になっている日本では、この特別な皿に使用されています。

Tonsoku contains a lot of collagen, therefore you can get the best effect for beautiful skin by eating it. Collagen of Tonsoku is the best easily-absorbed food, compared to other foods. It is not too much to say that it is an edible beauty.

豚足にはコラーゲンを多く含んでおり、美肌高価抜群。
豚足のコラーゲンは他の食材のコラーゲンに比べて最も身体に吸収しやすい食材。
食べるエステと言っても過言ではない！トントンの塩焼きを1日1皿。

HAKATA TONTON
61 Grove Street, New York, NY 10014
T: 212.242.3699 (Book a Table)

Chef Koji Hagihara

Executive chef at Hakata Tonton in New York's West Village. Chef Hagihara’s cooking of Tonton’s cult-like dedication to Tonsoku (pigs’ feet) could even convert the most staunch vegetarian. Born in Kofu, Yamanashi, Koji Hagihara graduated from Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka to pursue a career as a chef. In 2002, Chef Hagihara joined Wakiya Ichiemicharou, one of the most prominent Chinese restaurants in Japan, as a sous chef. He was the right hand man of the Iron Chef Yuji Wakiya, playing an active role in various TV shows, magazines, and product development. Chef Hagihara moved to New York in 2007 as the executive chef at New York Wakiya at the Gramercy Park Hotel. He is the very first certified sushi chef in New York by AJSA Sushi Skills Institute.

To get chef Koji Hagihara's New York restaurant recommendations, download the Find. Eat. Drink. iPhone app.

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Eat Here, Look Younger

Eat your wrinkles away with collagen-rich Tonsoku (pigs's feet). It's the specialty of the house at Hakata Tonton and like an edible fountain of youth.

By Chef Kogi Hagihara | Photos by Photographer Troy House

Chef Koji Hagihara

To get chef Koji Hagihara's New York restaurant recommendations, download the Find. Eat. Drink. iPhone app.

More New York Features

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