I recently went on a fat food trail at Orchard Central and boy, was I surprised at the sheer number of food establishments there were within this building! And this post is on our first stop, Tonkichi!
There are currently 4 outlets in Singapore right now – Orchard Central, Takashimaya, Isetan Scotts and Tampines Mall. Wa why so many outlets in orchard! Tonkichi prides themselves with serving authentic Tonkatsu! Located on the 7th floor of Orchard Central, Tonkichi feels like a cosy little space with its open seating and Japanese themed interior!
The Menu
Here is the menu at Tonkichi, as you can see, a wide variety of items are served here! From Tonkatsus, ramen, don, and even sashimi! They run their Lunch Menu promotions on weekdays too! Here is the menu: http://www.sapporolionsg.com.sg/tonkichi-menu-lunch-for-oc/
The Food
We had 4 items off their menu – Their signature Tonkatsu, of course, Barachirashi set, Shabu Set and a dessert!
1. Barachirashi Set – $25
The barachirashi set is pretty value for money because it is served with SO MANY SIDES AH – Appetizer, chawanmushi, and even a bowl of mini udon! While the variety of seafood on the barachirashi was commendable, I thought that this dish did not come through for me because,
1. the cubes were too tiny to actually taste the freshness of the seafood,
2. TOO MUCH RICE TO SASHIMI RATIO
3. Wa a lot of carbs on this tray.
Well, there are always other options on the menu for you to try if this bowl of chirashi don do not rock your boat!
2. Ton Shabu Set – $25
Honestly, this was my first time having blanched pork loin. Wow. I loved how flavorful the accompanying ponzu and sesame sauces were – A burst of flavors I would say. Definitely a choice for those who love pork but scared fat. Hahaha! This is served with rice too!
3. Hire and Rosu Katsu Set ($28)
Deep fried pork fillet and loin – WOW. Indeed, I could see why their signature dishes are their katsus! Generous and juicy pork fillet with just the right amounts of fat, covered with the crisp breaded exterior. Just wow. Oh, and this comes with a sesame sauce which you would need to grind it on your own too! It’s pretty fun, and the pairing of their katsu with the sauce is definitely a match made in heaven!
Well, do take my review of this katsu with a pinch of salt honestly. Because I’m not one who would go around ordering tonkatsu, as you guys know, I SCARED FAT(TER) lah! I’ve heard people commenting about how the tonkatsu from the other chains fare better! I don’t know about that, I just know what I had at Tonkichi was PRETTY AMAZING.
4. Coffee Jelly ($8)When we were first introduced to their signature dessert, the coffee jelly, I was very skeptical. I mean, I LOVE COFFEE. I LOVE. I would marry coffee beans. But huh. Coffee Jelly… How nice can it get man.
WA THE ANSWER IS, VERY NICE. This coffee jelly is specially made by drip coffee to ensure that the aroma of coffee lingers in this cup of dessert. Paired with the cinnamon cream that is spread atop of the silky jelly, WOW. I CANNOT. I’M IN LOVE. If you’re not a coffee drinker, you may not be able to appreciate the coffee jelly on its own, without the cream, because it is very gao coffee. SO. DAMN. GOOD, with or without the cream. Ah.
Closing Remarks
I am really impressed with the wide variety of food served at Tonkichi! I’ve always thought that they only served Tonkatsu sets, but boy, I was so, so wrong! Visiting Tonkichi was definitely a pleasant experience and I would love to try out their shabu sets because the one that we had, caught my heart and held it SO VERY TIGHTLY. Heck, I’d even go for just the coffee jelly too. YUM.
How to get there?
181 Orchard Road
Orchard Central, #07-06
Opening hours:
11-3pm, 6-10pm
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