When I was still new to living and eating in Seattle, I read an Eric Asimov $25 and Under column in the New York Times about tonkatsu—panko-breaded, deep-fried pork goodness. It left me with a rabid craving. Unsure where to go, I e-mailed The Stranger's food critic Min Liao, whom I didn't know, but because of her writing, felt I could trust completely. She instructed me to head to the International District's Takohachi, "the place with the octopus sign." I've been enjoying Takohachi's home-style Japanese cooking ever since.

Sadly, Takohachi closed forever on June 2. The owner retired and, according to one of the charming and carefully hand-lettered signs that hang on the restaurant's walls, a new Japanese restaurant will open in the spot on 610 South Jackson Street later this summer. I have no idea what that place will be like; I can only hope it will retain the tall, wooden booths, and the simplicity and comfort of the former occupant's food.

I went to Takohachi for a final lunch. Along with tonkatsu, I had curry rice, fried rice, hamburg steak, croquettes, and tori no kara-age (soy-marinated fried chicken). I always skip chicken in favor of the other white meat, but I cannot believe I stayed away from Takohachi's fried chicken for as long as I did. It was fantastic—tender and juicy and flavorful and crispy. I don't like regrets—they're a waste of time—but I regret having Takohachi's chicken just once.