Whether it’s the kitschy Hello Kitty, the cheesy J-Pop or the soupy delights of ramen it seems we can’t get enough of the land of the Rising Sun. Tonkatsu has been around since the first Japanese restaurant opened its doors in Bangkok. But with new standalone restaurants popping up at an almost daily rate, the breaded, deep-fried pork is currently taking Bangkok by storm.
Would we be so keen if we realized that Tonkatsu is actually rumored to have been introduced to Japan by Western travelers in the late 1800’s? Though it might not have started as a traditional Japanese dish, it quickly became a popular home cooked meal thanks to its simplicity and versatile taste. It’s now proved so popular in Japan that you can even find tonkatsu sandwiches (katsu-sando).
In simple terms, tonkatsu is a pork cutlet deep fried in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. The real deal sees the pork fried in Japanese breadcrumbs called panko. This crispy pork treat is usually served with rice, miso soup, cabbage and tonkatsu sauce, a Japanese Worcestershire-like sauce (often served with sesame seeds) and a dollop of Japanese mustard (karashi). There are two main choices when it comes to the cuts of pork, hire-kastu and rosu-katsu. Rosu-katsu is pork loin—the cut is more aromatic with a lot of fat in each piece. Hire-katsu is just a fillet cut without the fat. But with its growing popularity you can now find variations of the dish such as tonkatsu served with Japanese curry and rice (katsu curry), katsudon served with egg over a bowl of rice, even chicken katsu, ham katsu, and tonkatsu with cheese, garlic or rice cakes (mochi) stuffed inside.
According to Fumitaka Uchiyama, co-founder of Katsu King, Thais are only just beginning to appreciate the taste of realtonkatsu, “Most places will opt for regular panko in flour form due to its long shelf life. Nama (fresh) panko is much more difficult to prepare and has to be used that same day but it does give fillets a softer yet crispier texture. Tonkatsu using nama panko remains crisp and airy for up to 15 minutes after it is cooked.” Nama panko uses real bread instead of flour and as a result preparation is a long process of steaming then crumbling the bread, before it is dried and cooled. With fresh panko, the bread doesn’t absorb the oil, which is vital Fumitaka explains, “Good tonkatsu must not be oily and has to remain crispy for quite some time after it is cooked. The texture must not be too crispy and the panko should be airy enough for the sauce to be fully absorbed.”
Get Them While They’re Hot
Our round up of the top spots for some battered pork.
Katsu King
The Manor 39 Arcade, 32/1 Sukhumvit Soi 39, 02-260-0776. Open daily 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm.
This little eatery specializing in tonkatsu uses nama panko and isn’t greedy when it comes to portions or fat in their rosu-katsu. They have both traditional tonkatsu and variations including tonkatsu stuffed with cheese or garlic.
Tonkatsu Katsuichi
33/25 Soi Chaiyot, Sukhumvit Soi 11, 02-254-9171. Open daily 6pm-midnight.
Katsuichi just might be serving the most delicious and authentic tonkatsu in town. They use soft and tender kurobuta (black) pork, which is revered as the best quality Japanese pork around. It doesn’t get any more authentic than this shophouse, which is extremely similar to traditional tonkatsu-ya (tonkatsu shops) in Japan.
Tonkatsu Raku Tei
Citi Resort Building, Sukhumvit Soi 39, 02-260-1538. Open daily 11am-3pm, 5-10:30pm.
With reasonable prices, this tonkatsu eatery serves traditional tonkatsu and also the stuffed variety, like cheese.
Oho Katsu
430/11-12 Siam Square Soi 10, 02-251-8100. Open daily 11am-9:30pm.
Right across from the Kasikorn bank, this small tonkatsu eatery serves up the traditional deep-fried breaded pork, but also opt for their tasty katsu curry.
Misato
Charn Issara Tower 1, 942/39-41 Rama 4 Rd., 02-237-2266. Open daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 6-10pm.
This Japanese restaurant is known for its pork loins. A little bit pricey, but the fillet is super crispy and the meat juicy. The spicy katsu curry is a mammoth dish of flavors with big chunks of potatoes.
Bekku
Sukhumvit Soi 24, 02-661-0645. Open daily (except Wed) 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm.
This famous joint’s tonkatsu is tender meat with a thin, crispy batter. Thanks to fresh quality ingredients, this place is a must-try.
Cocoichibanya
99 Esplanade, Room 609, Ratchadaphisek Rd., 02-660-9283/4. Open Mon-Fri 10am-10pm, Sat-Sun 10am-10pm.
Brand new!
