Tonkichi - Singapore’s Pioneer Tonkatsu Since 1993

Tonkichi opened its doors in 1993 as one of the earliest tonkatsu specialty restaurants in Singapore, and the format has stayed largely unchanged since. The kitchen works with two cuts of pork — fillet and loin — each trimmed by hand to balance fat content against texture before being coated in batter and deep-fried in fresh oil.

Diners are given a small mortar and pestle to grind toasted sesame seeds at the table, which are then mixed into the tonkatsu sauce, a small ritual that has become one of the restaurant’s signatures. Beyond the tonkatsu itself, the menu extends into a broader spread of Japanese comfort dishes built around the same principles of careful sourcing and traditional preparation.

Hire Katsu Set — $26

The Hire Katsu uses pork fillet, also known as tenderloin, which sits along the pig’s spine and is used for posture rather than heavy movement. This makes it a naturally leaner and more delicate cut compared to loin. The fillet is coated in the restaurant’s batter and fried to produce a light, crisp shell around meat tender enough to cut through with chopsticks alone. The set comes with free-flow rice and shredded cabbage, along with miso soup and pickles.

Rosu Katsu Set — $26

Rosu refers to pork loin, a cut that carries a visible strip of fat along one edge. That fat renders during frying, giving the meat a richer, juicier bite than the fillet while still holding a crisp exterior. Like the Hire Katsu, it is served with the same accompaniments of rice, cabbage, miso soup, and pickles, and pairs well with the table-ground sesame sauce.

Salmon Teriyaki Set — $25

For a grilled, non-fried option, the Salmon Teriyaki is prepared by pan-grilling the fish and finishing it in a teriyaki glaze, offering a contrast to the deep-fried format that defines most of the menu. The set is served with rice and miso soup, and sources vary slightly on whether it comes paired with salmon sashimi or agedashi tofu as the accompanying side.

Mixed Seafood Katsu Set

The seafood option combines battered and fried prawn and oyster in a single set, prepared using the same frying technique applied to the restaurant’s pork cutlets. The prawns are fried until the shell turns golden and crisp while the flesh remains firm, and the oysters are coated lightly to preserve their natural brine and texture. This set is suited to diners who want the same crisp, deep-fried format without pork.

Premium Loin Katsu (Kurobuta, Miyazaki, and Iberico Selections)

Beyond the standard loin cut, Tonkichi periodically offers premium pork loin sourced from specific breeds, including Kurobuta, Miyazaki, and Iberico pork. These cuts carry a higher proportion of marbling than the standard loin, which produces a softer texture and a more pronounced depth of flavour once fried. The preparation method mirrors the standard Rosu Katsu, allowing the difference in the meat itself — rather than the cooking technique — to carry the dish.

Cheese Kasane Katsu

This variation layers a portion of melted cheese within the pork cutlet before it is breaded and fried. The cheese is enclosed by the meat so that it stays contained during frying, releasing only once the cutlet is cut open. The result pairs the usual crisp panko shell and tender pork with a molten centre, offering a different textural finish from the standard katsu preparations.

Soft Shell Crab

Served as a side or as part of a mixed platter, the soft shell crab is battered and deep-fried whole, allowing the shell to be eaten along with the meat. The same light batter used across the restaurant’s fried items is applied here, which is meant to crisp the shell without overwhelming the sweetness of the crab meat inside. It is often ordered alongside the pork cutlets as part of a shared platter for the table.

Potato Salad

The potato salad is a mashed preparation mixed with small additions such as vegetables, offering a cooler, softer side dish that contrasts with the crisp texture of the fried cutlets. It is commonly ordered alongside the tonkatsu sets as a starter or side.

Tonkichi’s tonkatsu sets remain built around the same two cuts and the same frying method that the restaurant opened with in 1993, giving diners a straightforward way to compare fillet against loin, or to explore seafood, chicken, and premium pork alternatives within the same format. Located within Takashimaya Shopping Centre along Orchard Road, it continues to serve as a reliable stop for tonkatsu within the Orchard shopping belt.

391 Orchard Road, Ngee Ann City, #04-24, Takashimaya S.C., Singapore 238873
Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday, 11:00am – 3:00pm and 5:00pm – 9:30pm; Friday and Saturday, 11:00am – 10:00pm; Sunday, 11:00am – 9:30pm
Tel: +65 6735 7522
Website: https://www.tonkichi.sg/