TONKATSU by Terazawa - A New Katsu Favorite
December 21, 2013 - This day officially marked the start of my Christmas vacation! As a reward for all the hard work I poured in for acads, I decided to treat myself for lunch. Believing that the Christmas spirit is seeping through me, I felt extremely elated that I even invited my mom and sister to come along and join me in this mini-celebration of mine. Fast forwarding - we ended up in this new restaurant in Lucky Chinatown Mall called Tonkatsu by Terazawa.
Tonkatsu by Terazawa
When I dropped by the Lucky Chinatown Mall to have my haircut, I decided to stroll around because I'm usually fascinated by merely looking at clusters of restaurants. Just to let you know, there are a lot of good restaurants here in this mall, and you have a couple of cuisines to choose from such as Italian, Chinese (of course), Korean, Japanese and more!
Continuing with my brief story, I happened to come across this new store - Tonkatsu by Terazawa, and I got pretty much curious that I told myself I ought to here eat here soon! Next thing I know, I was already there trying out its katsu dishes!
One interesting thing about this place is that it shares space with Italianni's, and I just think it's pure genius because both of them can utilize well the space (i.e. rent).
By the way, you will love how cozy the place appears. Oh, and be sure to bring with you a sweater of a jacket, the place may get too cold for you!
Unlimited Cabbage, Miso Soup and Rice
Just like Yabu, the first one to make the Katsu Craze prominent, Tonkatsu by Terazawa also offers the same promo - unlimited shredded cabbage, tonjiru (miso soup) and your choice of Japanese rice or brown rice.
I know I've shared a lot of side stories, so let's head to the most interesting matter - the food!
Kurobuta Rosu Katsu (Deep Fried Black Pork Loin) || P595
Frankly, we didn't order this one. The waitstaff underwent some confusion, and placed this dish on our table. Since I was just doing my blogger duty, I took several shots of the Kurobuta Rosu Katsu. Later, the waitress realized it wasn't supposed to end up in front of me, so she took it a way. Har har! Good thing, I was able to snap a photo before that happened. However, they were just as lucky as I am, because if not for by blogger duty, I could have started munching it in.
Assorted Katsu - Prawn and Rosu Katsu Set || P495
My mom was craving for some tempura, so she went for an assorted set that included prawns and rosu katsu. Of course, I asked for small portions, so I could have an opinion on it.
Taste-wise, I would say that this Prawn and Rosu set was great (not too salty, but not bland as well)! However, when it came to the serving (or the size of the actual prawn) and the texture of the rosu, we encountered a few minor problems. To cut it short, my mom and I just prefer the Hire katsu over the Rosu (since the latter one was tougher in comparison).
Assorted Katsu - Oyster and Hire Katsu Set || P515
Now, for my personal order - the oyster and hire katsu! Ahhhh, perfect combination (as far as I am concerned). I loved how great the quality of the oyster was, and the frying was just fine to preserve the goodness of the sea gem! Every bite was a pure bliss for me becoming an instant favorite!
As mentioned, the Hire katsu was tender than the Rosu (which was somehow expected). The experience can be closely likened to that of in Yabu.
Okonami Katsu - Chicken Katsudon || P385
If you want to try something that's not overly drying for your palate, you may want to go for the katsudons! This one featured the same goodness of the katsu, but only mixed with a semi-sweet sauce that battles the dryness.
Katsu Set Menu of Tonkatsu by Terazawa:
Tonkatsu by Terazawa in a Nutshell and Rating Overview
Tonkatsu by Terazawa
Location:
2nd Floor, Lucky Chinatown Mall
Calle Felipe cor La Chambre St.
Binondo, Manila
(Closed)
Service Charge:
10% before VAT
Other Branch:
Ground Floor, Greenbelt 3, Makati
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| Tonkatsu by Terazawa in Lucky Chinatown Mall in Binondo |
Tonkatsu By Terazawa is a Japanese restaurant inspired by the Owner and Chef Akinori Terazawa from Nagoya, Japan. It prides itself on its house specialty Kurobuta Tonkatsu (from Pure Berkshire black pork) and other Katsu dishes - from the Facebook PageBinondo Branch - Lucky Chinatown Mall
When I dropped by the Lucky Chinatown Mall to have my haircut, I decided to stroll around because I'm usually fascinated by merely looking at clusters of restaurants. Just to let you know, there are a lot of good restaurants here in this mall, and you have a couple of cuisines to choose from such as Italian, Chinese (of course), Korean, Japanese and more!
Continuing with my brief story, I happened to come across this new store - Tonkatsu by Terazawa, and I got pretty much curious that I told myself I ought to here eat here soon! Next thing I know, I was already there trying out its katsu dishes!
One interesting thing about this place is that it shares space with Italianni's, and I just think it's pure genius because both of them can utilize well the space (i.e. rent).
By the way, you will love how cozy the place appears. Oh, and be sure to bring with you a sweater of a jacket, the place may get too cold for you!
Unlimited Cabbage, Miso Soup and Rice
Just like Yabu, the first one to make the Katsu Craze prominent, Tonkatsu by Terazawa also offers the same promo - unlimited shredded cabbage, tonjiru (miso soup) and your choice of Japanese rice or brown rice.
I know I've shared a lot of side stories, so let's head to the most interesting matter - the food!
Kurobuta Rosu Katsu (Deep Fried Black Pork Loin) || P595
Kurobuta or "black hog" pork comes from the pure oriental strains of Black Berkshire, found in Japan. It is regarded as the finest quality of pork in the world.
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| The signature Kurobuta Rosu Katsu of Tonkatsu by Terazawa |
Assorted Katsu - Prawn and Rosu Katsu Set || P495
 |
| Prawn and Rosu Katsu Set of Tonkatsu by Terazawa |
Taste-wise, I would say that this Prawn and Rosu set was great (not too salty, but not bland as well)! However, when it came to the serving (or the size of the actual prawn) and the texture of the rosu, we encountered a few minor problems. To cut it short, my mom and I just prefer the Hire katsu over the Rosu (since the latter one was tougher in comparison).
Assorted Katsu - Oyster and Hire Katsu Set || P515
 |
| The delectable oyster and hire katsu set of Tonkatsu by Terazawa |
As mentioned, the Hire katsu was tender than the Rosu (which was somehow expected). The experience can be closely likened to that of in Yabu.
Okonami Katsu - Chicken Katsudon || P385
 |
| Savory with a touch of sweetness - battle the dryness away with this Chicken Katsudon! |
Katsu Set Menu of Tonkatsu by Terazawa:
Tonkatsu by Terazawa in a Nutshell and Rating Overview
Place: ★★★★
Taste: ★★★★
Service: ★★★
Price: ★★★
Budget:
At least P450 each person
Taste: ★★★★
Service: ★★★
Price: ★★★
Budget:
At least P450 each person
I have to admit that I had an amazing lunch experience here in Tonkatsu by Terazawa! In fact, you may spot me in this place the next time you drop by the place. I just love how they prepare the katsu, and although I am not that knowledgeable about cooking techniques, I just can sense it by merely tasting the dish!
The service was also generally fine except of course for the order inaccuracy they had earlier. Prices seem to be not that wallet-friendly either. Nevertheless, I really believe that this restaurant has a lot of potential! In fact, there were some points wherein I prefer this place over Yabu (my benchmark for katsus).
The service was also generally fine except of course for the order inaccuracy they had earlier. Prices seem to be not that wallet-friendly either. Nevertheless, I really believe that this restaurant has a lot of potential! In fact, there were some points wherein I prefer this place over Yabu (my benchmark for katsus).
Tonkatsu by Terazawa
Location:
2nd Floor, Lucky Chinatown Mall
Calle Felipe cor La Chambre St.
Binondo, Manila
(Closed)
Service Charge:
10% before VAT
Other Branch:
Ground Floor, Greenbelt 3, Makati
Sorry, I beg to differ. Their sesame sauce for the salad tastes VERY WATERY. It's a far cry from the sesame sauce of Yabu. Their pork also isn't that good, it isn't comparable to Yabu's.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your insights! I guess, it really depends on the eater. My sister, mom and I all enjoyed the taste of the salad dressing (especially the mangoey one), and the Hire was fine. Although at some point, I may have to agree with your regarding the consistency of the dressing and toughness of the pork (i.e. Rosu and from what I heard the Kurobata as well).
DeleteBut I'm glad you shared your opinion. :D