The thing about good food? 

Once you’ve tasted something so spectacular, it’s hard to go back to ‘normal’, because everything else seems mediocre by comparison. Take tonkatsu, for example. Before I found Tonkatsu by Ma Maison, I never knew any other type of deep fried, breaded Japanese pork loin except the dry, cheap shit that many restos here served. TMM changed that. Ever since then, I’ve been looking out for places that claim to serve good tonkatsu, to see if they can hit that benchmark.

Tonkatsu by Wa Kitchen has been at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur for years now, but I’ve never gotten down to trying it. The chance presented itself while I was in the city the other day. The resto is not big but cosy, with ample space and a wood/black/beige colour scheme. Prices are steep, but as expected of the location.

I ordered the Curry Tonkatsu – a house specialty – but was disappointed with the mediocre portion. I wanted to chalk it up to the plate being big, but nope – rice was generous, but there wasn’t enough meat to go around. It did come served with a side of miso soup and tofu, though.

Bouncy tofu with a bit of bite.

Tastewise, it was good, with a crunchy exterior and a nice balance of lean and fat. Juicy on the inside. But nothing near TMM’s quality. The curry was tepid – would have liked it to be warmer – but seasoned well.

It was really the price that made me feel a tad disappointed, because it was pricier than TMM (RM30++), but so much smaller in portion. I suppose if you’re in the city and craving for Tonkatsu, this could be an option. I have yet to try Tonkatsu Anzu over at Lot 10, which was highly recommended by a friend, so that’s next on the list!

• Price: RM30+ for mains
• Food: 3.5/5
• Service: 4/5
• Ambience: 3.5/5

TONKATSU BY WA KITCHEN 

6.12, 6th Floor, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur Shopping Mall, 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 50250 Kuala Lumpur

Opening hours: 11AM – 10PM