Another appointment at Tanjong Pagar on this nice sunny Wednesday.
It's lunch again.
Wanted to go to a different restaurant this time around, but it turns out that I couldn't hold back my Miso Katsu cravings. - Yes, Miso Katsu.
The thing about me and Miso Pork Katsu, or "Miso Katsu", is that it's actually my second favorite childhood dish growing up. (My first is hands down the Unagi Kabayaki)
I really, really do love this dish.
Last week I came to Imakatsu, but since it was the first time there, I felt I was obliged to go for the most basic dish - which is the Pork Katsu. Obviously, I really wanted to go for the Miso Pork Katsu, and ever since I've been enduring an overwhelming craving for the dish.
The time to fulfill my cravings have finally come!
The "Miso Pork Katsu" or the *Miso Katsu* is a dish that's originated from the Nagoya area of Japan. It uses a distinct type of Miso sauce, usually based on a type of Miso called "Haccho Miso".
Imakatsu Guoco Tower at Tanjong Pagar
7 Wallich St, #01-06, Singapore 078884
Website: http://ophd.com.sg/imakatsu/
Let's get right into it!
And here's a view of the inside of the restaurant.
As I found my table, I noticed one of the staff singing pretty loudly to the music being played in the restaurant.
You wouldn't experience this at Japan as it would be against the strict protocols of a Japanese Restaurant, but it does make it feel like the staff are enjoying working here. Hahaha.
Anyways, the Imakatsu Lunch Menu
I won't go over the details of the Imakatsu Lunch menu as I've already done that in my previous post. Please take a look at my last post for that.
Today's lunch course, I've chosen the following.
Miso Pork Katsu (Hokkaido Pork)
Rice, Miso Soup & Pickles
Age Gyoza 3 pcs
Asahi Draught Beer 330 (+5SGD)
Yes, so I mixed it up a bit and went for the Age gyoza (deep fried gyoza) for my second side dish choice. I also went for the lunch beer heh heh...
The first dish that comes out, as always, is the cabbage and sesame dressing.
Not sure why but the white balance on my photo seems off? Anyways, I think the staff here are very well trained and considerate.
First of all this cabbage and dressing comes out really fast. It's like, right after you place your order it comes out.
They are also very attentive in checking whether you need more of this free flow cabbage or not as well. I remember they've checked in quite often last time. This time was no exception.
Good service here.
And time to get excited - here comes my beer!
Not the best of draft beers, but what can you expect from a lunch beer at only plus 5 SGD? It's a bit flat and dry. But it's still an outstandingly cold beer!
Also, in the first place, how can a lunch beer in the middle of a weekday not feel good and taste good? I'm on a leave for the day so I can do this. No better feeling!!
And then here comes the main dish.
The Miso Pork Katsu Lunch
Looks nice! Great portion size. But....
I'm actually a bit confused with the tonkatsu sauce provided down below.
Why is there tonkatsu sauce for the Miso katsu? The Miso katsu already has the Miso sauce on it, so I don't need this.
It's almost tempting me to put the sesame into the sauce instead of the Miso - as a matter of fact, I accidently poured some in before I realized I should pour it onto the miso.
I'd imagine many people would mistakenly do this!
And now for the food.
First thing's first.
No Japanese restaurant is good without good rice. So here is the rice.
It's a good quality Japanese rice I must say. It's really delicious! The rice are nice and plump. As quality Japanese rice is, the more you chew the better it gets. They're using good rice and they're preparing it perfectly as well.
You expect tonkatsu restaurants to bring in quality Japanese rice. In that sense, this restaurant definitely passes.
The Miso Katsu
So I sprinkled the rest of my sesame here. I actually had more, but as mentioned above, I accidently poured some into my sauce! OMG!
The tonkatsu is good, just like the pork katsu lunch.
The delicious taste of a pork lion is evident. Great quality meat. Nice and tender throughout.
The Miso sauce is nice. It's nice and thick and rich, just the way a nice miso sauce for a Tonkatsu should be.
The taste of the miso is very much on the sweet spectrum, rather than the salty, which I like as well.
The karashi mustard is very strong! I added too much to the meat on a few occasions and had tears coming out of my eyes because it became too spicy! This is also a good thing - much better than weak karashi mustard that doesn't have spiciness at all.
Everything here is very nice.
I really don't use lemon for miso katsu.
So overall, a nice quality miso katsu, but again the only issue I have with this dish is the sauce. What do I do with the tonkatsu sauce and sesame?
I haven't asked so maybe they provide additional sesame seeds based on request, I'm not sure, but I'd wish they've given me more sesame seeds as well. I like the sesame to be felt distinctly within the miso, and it wasn't enough for me.
The soup and the pickles.
The miso soup is a standard one.
Tofu, wakame seaweed, and atsuage deep-fried bean curd.
The pickles are I think a Takana-zuke.
Nothing to be overly excited about, but I'd say a solid supporting cast for the main dish.
The Age Gyoza (Deep fried gyoza)
Too bad there's only three pieces to the lunch set, but I do like this a lot.
Although it's deep fried, it's very soft in the middle. So you get that fantastic sensation of crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside. The inside is soft and juicy and is filled with stuffing, I think a lot of it is vegetable based.
So the Age gyoza here I liked.
That just about covers it.
Again, this is the second time I came to Imakatsu, and the great thing about this place is that most of the dishes are decent so far. Nothing is a question mark.
Let's rate it!
Guru Rating
for the Miso Katsu 8.5/10
A very similar rating to the Tonkatsu. I'd definitely come here myself for the Miso Katsu. Furthermore, if someone askes me for a place to have a Miso Katsu, I would put this restaurant into the recommendations - which automatically puts this restaurant above a 7.5 based on my rating scale. My conclusion for this is at 8.5.
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