And riding the recent gyukatsu high, their signature Hokkaido Wagyu ($70/ set) Katsu was expertly prepared. The golden-brown batter was light with that delicate crunch from the panko crust and the premium beef was a wonderful medium rare pink—tender, not too fatty or cloying and a nice balance of fats with its divine marbling. The cube-like chunks also ensured that it is not overly indulgent and it definitely needs to be salted for that extra oomph. Oh, and you got to eat it with a bit of fragrant yuzu kosho served on the side. So good!
Each set comes with a bowl of miso soup as well as free-flow Japanese rice topped with yukari, pickles and free-flow thinly-sliced crisp raw cabbage which we could dress with a refreshing yuzu ponzu or creamy sesame. Should you decide to go for a la carte, the prices are $4 off.
With a craving for all things fried, I decided to try Katsuya recently. Located along Tanjong Katong Road, the Japanese Tonkatsu Specialty Restaurant has a lovely menu that consists of not just the familiar tonkatsu (Hire and Rosu cuts) but also offers Unagi (eel) katsu, dory fish katsu, Japanese wagyu katsu as well as exclusive off-menu items like salmon, hotate (scallop) fry and lamb katsu.
Beautifully done, the soft juicy Salmon Rare ($42/set) Katsu was flakey fresh and quite literally melts as you bite. The batter was perfectly thin and light too. Glistening at the top, two fatty salmon belly pieces were crowned with their homemade tartar sauce and the other two were embellished with wasabi and a fresh squeeze of lemon. The sauce was creamy, and savoury with a slight tanginess; very moreish and complementary. A more refreshing pairing, the salmon pieces with wasabi and lemon were even better after being lightly salted! Note that as with all off-menu items, a pre-order is required!
Imakatsu turned me off my beloved fatty katsu but Katsuya has rekindled it. Still not as good as Tonkichi's but good enough. The free-flow cabbage here wasn't as raw as Imakatsu's so I whacked it.
Yummy yummy in my tummy! Love that they offer free refill of salad and rice. It sure guarantees that you will be full when you finish the meal 🤗
First time to Katsuya and was blown away by the quality. The menu featured how the Chef was trained in Tokyo and the philosophy behind Katsuya - quality, clean, freshly made food. The pork Katsu was delicious, as was my wagyu Katsu - so tender and juicy. Will definitely come back again!
Paid full price of $56++ for a sharing platter of Rosu, Dory and Oyster and it was heaven 😍Total about $67 including refillable 🍵
Never know there is this Japanese restaurant specialise in katsu meals. It was helmed by local chef who has several years of experience cooking Japanese foods.
They signature item would be the tonkatsu but I was craving for some Japanese curry instead.
The curry gravy was milky, with crispy chicken and fragrance Japanese rice. The cabbage is refillable. $23++
Is a small restuarant and their signage claimed that their katsu is non oily and indeed it is! I ordered chicken katsu set. I must say their portion is small which suits my small appetite! Their miso soup is nice as well. You might find the price a bit of high side judging by portion. Overall, still a nice meal for me plus good staff service!
I haven't had that many before but this is one of the best katsu's i've eaten! You can literally taste the passion and dedication of the chef in every mouthful. Everything seemed to be made with such love. 😍
Rating: 9/10
Will i return/recommend: Yes/Yes
Pros: Deep fried yet it wasn't greasy! In fact, the entire meal felt really "clean" perhaps owing to the fresh ingredients and condiments used. Rice and cabbage are refillable with the sets, which are of really great quality as well. Good portioning of meat, carbs and veg.
Cons: Even though the set was refillable, i was not satisfied and had to go for small bites/dessert shortly after. Probably because it was good that i didn't get enough of it 😂 The red miso soup was not to my liking. For the amount of food, the meal was quite pricey to me.
Price: S$22++ for Hire Katsu Set, S$25++ Unagi Katsu Set, cheaper for ala carte but non-refillable rice and cabbage. Full menu prices on website
This was a nice accompaniment to the Katsu. It is light and not overly sweet. Had bits of citrus at the bottom of the cup, so stirring it a little will help.
Bought the Hire (pork tenderloin) set. Katsuya does up Katsu very well -it's light and not at all oily. This Hire Katsu did not have fatty bits. Cabbage is refillable if you buy a set.
This restaurant has been a mainstay along East Coast road, but it has also been quite forgotten amidst the flurry of new openings along the same stretch. Warm, savoury and comforting, i'm so glad this is readily available in the east.
We have all tried Pork katsu. But have you tried lamb katsu? If you love lamb and it's strong distinctive taste. You will love this place, a small dinning establishment handle by the owner/chef. Be prepared to wait, if it's crowded as the chef will not compromise perfection, in order to rush out orders. This joint is worth every fried calories.
Interesting appetizer. The soybeans are gooey, and bursting with taste and texture. Mix the bowl up, you have another delightful way of eating raw salmon. Brilliant.
With a pedigree from Japan, the chef lovingly creates everything by himself. He only starts cooking upon order so there can be a wait, but the pork Katsu is definitely worth waiting for. Passion shows through everything in this place - even the hand made dressing for the usual side of veggies is so good I actually eat that stuff.
The east of Singapore is really full of good food. This unassuming shop at Katong indeed serves one of the best Tonkatsu in Singapore, the pork is part lean part fatty. I let the #instavideo do the talking!
