Katsusando (deep-fried cutlet sandwich) (カツサンド)
Katsusando is a cutlet (usually a pork or beef cutlet) sandwich with white bread.
Although sometimes katsusando is spelled with "katsu" in hiragana and "sando" in katakana, it depends on persons or restaurants which spelling should be used and there is no rule for the spelling. In this section, we consistently spell the word in all katakana.
Summary
Generally, a katsusando, a pork cutlet or a beef cutlet sandwiched with white bread, is served sliced either in rectangular or in triangle. A pork cutlet sandwich is served with Worcester sauce and, in many cases, is sliced in the same size rectangular.
While for other types of sandwiches, the ingredients of which are usually moist, dry bread is preferred, in case of katsusando, since the cutlet's breading is crispy, soft bread is better.
There are many other versions: A chicken cutlet sandwich, a pork cutlet with mustard, a pork cutlet with cabbages between a pork cutlet and bread.
Local katsusando in different regions
The mainstream in the Kansai area is a beef cutlet. The one with a pork cutlet is often called Ton (pork) katsusando. Supposedly this reflects the difference of preference of meats between the Kansai area where beef is more regularly eaten and the Kanto area where pork is more common.
And, since Tokyo became the capital of Japan, the Kanto culture spread all over Japan, leading to the different name (for a pork cutlet sandwich.)
In Nagoya City and its vicinity, besides a regular 'sauce katsusando,' a 'miso katsusando' is sold at convenience stores and so on.
In the United States, Indiana boasts a deep fried pork tenderloin sandwich with buns as its specialty.