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Bringing over 25 years of experience to the kitchen, Chef Tan-San’s journey began after a stint in 🇯🇵, where he mastered the art of Tonkatsu and returned in 1993 to helm the kitchen of Tonkichi. In 2004, he took on the challenge of setting up Tampopo as the Pioneer Chef, and eventually famed for numerous creations. Finally in 2016, @hajime_tonkatsu_ramen is born, bringing us authentic Japanese cuisine in a modern setting and at affordable prices.
Featured are the Chef’s Recommendations:
👉Premium Pork Loin Set - SGD22.90
Comes with a bowl of sesame seeds to be grounded before adding the standard tonkatsu sauce
👉Nagoya Miso Fillet Set - SGD19.90
Comes with a dish of thick miso sauce
Probably one of the best tonkatsu pork I’ve eaten in recent memory. Perfectly deep-fried, it was really crispy yet light and not too greasy. Honestly for the pork, I couldn’t really tell the difference between the two sets as they were both so so good. Fresh, succulent & toothsome! But of course if you like the fatty ends that keeps the cutlet juicy, go for their Premium Pork Loin. 😋👍
Special mention goes out to their Tonjiru Soup - Tonkotsu broth simmered with Japanese pork and a hint of Yuzu for over 12 hours. The free-flow cabbage served here was really crunchy and refreshing too!
❗️Tonkatsu Sets come with Free Flow Rice & Cabbage
‼️You might want to share a cup of hot green tea that’s refillable😉
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📍Hajime Tonkatsu & Ramen
1️⃣[email protected] Gardens
1 Maju Avenue 02-07/08/09, S556679
2️⃣Thomson Plaza
301 Upper Thomson Road 01-110, S574408
This tastes like a riff on chicken nanban, with nuggets of chicken thigh brined to succulent juiciness and coated in a crisp and crunchy exterior, then served on a bed of egg mayo with chives, with a subtle fiery kick from jalapeno. This is my number one choice as a bar snack here to pair with their extensive range of both mainstream as well as craft beers.
Thanks @burpple for the invite and @beerbasketkatong for the hospitality!
Taste: 3.5/5
i really love the ambience of the place! the food was amazing too. i ordered their signature crispy skin salmon with cajun rice and mashed potatoes. i think their mashed potatoes were amazing and the salmon was very juicy and tender! i also had their truffle fries and brownie with ice cream. the truffle tastes in the fries is not that prominent so if youre looking for a milder truffle taste, i would recommend their fries! all in all, it was a great experience! would come again in the future :)
Looks like a legend, tastes like a legend. Most satay beehoons are quite good because it's such a tedious and dying dish that only the artisans make it. But this has to be one of the best. Every component was so simple yet well executed. The whole was more than the sum of its parts. The pork and cuttlefish were incredible, while the sauce is so popular they sell it in individual packs.
a decent bento. got this for the sweet mash potato tbh🙈
Not bad enough to be inedible but it was very bad. Dry, sandy, nowhere near creamy enough to deserve the Hokkaido label. Please avoid(pity those who bought the large one, imagine the whole family have to suffer)
On the gyudon from the half half box like I was if you're ordering Miyazaki, fret not. There's a generous portion nested underneath, and it was very good. Apart from the usual suspects I think they got burdock inside as well.
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Now a dedi for the staff(one man show, it's possible because the order and paying system is automated, as they should be lol). I consider myself a purist when it comes to food and I try my best to ignore every other aspect(exactly like Michelin claims lol). However once in a while someone makes your experience
The staff was very meticulous, you can see the effort she puts into arranging the zen so that it's aesthetically pleasing. So sedulous about her craft, that's really professionalism and in stark contrast to those who can't be bothered in some other establishments( I'm saying this because the very next meal, the manager at PIZZAKAYA was exactly like that, no enthusiasm and hardly gave a hoot about us. So the juxtaposition was real. )
She was very honest too, about how some of the stuff(dashi) were pre-made and sent from Japan, so while it was good she didn't know what went into it. Also mentioned how the steak in the half half don is nowhere near as good as the Miyazaki A4. As mentioned in the previous post she was very humble and didn't accept the compliment, even though it took a lot of skill to assemble that zen(ya roman.tei probably prepares a lot of the stuff, but the actual cooking and assembling is from this humble lady). She was very polite and told me to come try something else if I liked what I had today(her recommendations were on point too, it's exactly what I was going to try in the first place)
If I'm not wrong roman.tei is a restaurant in Japan and I can assure you you're getting restaurant quality service and food at this branch of &JOY. Such a joy!
The zen top-up is damn worth. Each little piece is done well, not to mention you get veg for a balanced meal I honestly had trouble finding complaints until halfway through the meal haha. Their garlic chips and pickles were weak but the rest were all good or exceptional
Almost 40nett but I can't stress how worth it this was. Yes you ditch the restaurant atmosphere but this atas food court stall otherwise gives the whole experience in terms of food. Miyazaki A4 was legit, that's all I got to say. You see it immediately when the lady takes the thin steak out to defrost. That alone should make your 40 bucks worth it. It wasn't caramelised but it was dainty as it should be, with such a thin piece it's important not to overcook and she did a perfect job. There's no give at all, it truly was almost melt in your mouth. Staff was very humble too, I told her it's very well executed but she said it's just that the meat was good
Their dashi was superb too. Really deep flavour and yet light. The ginger dressing on the salad was enjoyable too, it was a tad sweet. The tomato had an unusual marinade but was refreshing as it should be.
If you're looking for a fine dining experience without breaking the bank, this is a great option if youre willing to forgo the vibes. Now that you're only allowed to takeaway this is a good option too since the meat is not crispy in the first place
