Tonkatsu Anzu, Isetan The Japan Store, Kuala Lumpur

I guess it is undeniably that our city lacks of tonkatsu(pork cutlets) choices, especially good ones. I've just recently had my very first tonkatsu experience at One Utama and to be honest, I'm not really impressed by the taste of it but somehow that's all what's left for us Malaysian to choose from when it comes to tonkatsu.

Thanks to Isetan The Japan Store, the newly opened restaurant floor The Table (4th floor) serves premium Washoku (Japanese food) prepared by Japanese chefs expertise, so me, Jean and Fei decided to have a lunch date at Anzu, one of the well-known restaurant back at Ginza, Tokyo for serving authentic delicious tonkatsu.

Anzu 

flavorful pickles to prep your taste bud for tonkatsu

Here's what Anzu thinks of when it comes to meal:

In Anzu, we think about the “meal” carefully and thoroughly, while treasuring the material, the dish, the producer, and the region. We aim at creating a place where everyone could enjoy and share the meal while enjoying conversation and time with each other.

With limited seats (about 40), the restaurant atmosphere is quite chill and spacious. Upon ordering, green tea and salad will be serve to guests free of charge.

Salad, sesame for sauce-making (for those who orderd Anzu Limited Ginjo Pork Katsu Set)

You can make your desired tonkatsu sauce by first grind the sesame. I had so much fun with this!
 (with choices of sweet or original sauce) 

Jean grinding and making her sesame tonkatsu sauce

Besides Anzu's limited Ginjo Tonkatsu Set, there's this limited Service Bento lunch set which only serves on weekday from 11a.m. to 2p.m, 20 sets per day. When we arrived (about 1:30p.m.) I thought we missed the opportunity to try this Service Bento but I guess we're lucky.

Service Bento - RM30

This Service Bento serves almost every washoku variety except for sushi. There's brown rice, chawanmushi, miso soup, katsu (pork cutlets and fried prawn cutlets), chicken karaage (Japanese fried chicken), soba, yasai (fresh vegetables), appetisers etc. Its impressive dish-serving outlook brings me a real taste of Japanese bento. I find the prawn katsu taste good too! Maybe I shall order prawn ones on my next visit.  

Jean's Ginjo Pork Loin Katsu Set - RM48

Fei's Ginjo Pork Fatty Loin Katsu Set - RM55

One bite of these tonkatsu is able to tell the difference of how high quality these ginjo pork cutlets are that each bite leaves you craving for more. These pork are handpicked by Chief Chef of Anzu then matured the meat by their original technique, which make these ginjo tonkatsu premium. Just sprinkle a tad bit of special salt prepared by Anzu on these ginjo tonkatsu, each and every bite is heavenly with juicy and tender meat juice flowing and spread out to your taste buds.

Premium pork, crispy batter, high quality oil, original meat-matured technique
Elements that Anzu used to make their ginjo tonkatsu into perfection

These first class tonkatsu are definitely not to be missed! Anzu's Ginjo Tonkatsu really has opened up my eyes about tonkatsu and I am going back to try their other katsu sets for sure! 

For more information:

Anzu, Isetan The Japan Store Website

4F, Isetan The Japan Store, Lot 10
50, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50520, KL.

Business Hours:
10a.m. - 11p.m. daily
(Last order 10p.m.)

Phone: 03-2119 2625

KyoChon 1991, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

Finally get to slot in some time and sit down with Peiyue to plan for our upcoming Korea trip! In order to set our mood we decided to have dinner at KyoChon 1991. Ever since I went to Kuching, I've been having this fried chicken cravings which me myself couldn't understand why. 

Been wanting to try KyoChon but hesitated due to the long queues when it first started its business at Malaysia and slowly I forgot its existence till this round, plan to have fried chicken at Pavilion but didn't want KFC anymore, hence KyoChon suddenly pops up in my mind and we decided to give it a try!

Started from Gu-Mi area at Korea, KyoChon now has more than 1000 restaurants worldwide! I was too hungry I forgot to took quite a few photos that night lol. Including the main entrance, interior as well as another order of honey series fried chicken!

Story of KyoChon

For the ease of ordering, you can choose your combos easily according to this chart

Since KyoChon is famous for delivering sauced by hands and fresh fried chicken to their customers, hence 15minutes of waiting is needed after customer place their orders. There's this crossword puzzle me and Peiyue tried to solve but we gave up for the last few, it is simply too difficult. (Anybody knows all the answer? lol)

Study very carefully all the details stated on this piece of table cover and we still failed to solve the crossword puzzle

I don't mind waiting for the wings and drummettes as long as they serve drinks to us. We ordered these two signature drinks which are famous at KyoChon restaurants:

Natural Sparkling Plum Fruit Tea - RM8.00

Natural Sparkling Yuza Fruit Tea - RM8.00

I'm not one that against bubbly sparkling drinks as I myself like soda drinks, a little bit too much compared to those in my same clique (I really need to watch my diet), hence I find these sparkling fruit tea taste good!




The plum one reminds me of those sparkling champagne my family will bought occasionally and it feels really good to have those sweet memories reminded in this glass of fruit tea. The yuza tea tasted quite sourish which I like. Something bubbly to go with the fried chicken instead of soft drinks is making me more happy.

Wedges - RM5.90

While waiting for our fried chickens, we ordered wedges as appetizers so that we won't over starve ourselves. Few types of dip sauces available for selection, we chose Honey Mustard that goes perfectly with the wedges.




After awhile... Jeng jeng!

Soy Garlic Wings and Drummette - Regular, 8pc, RM18.90

The freshly fried chicken wings and drummettes are delicious. Soy Garlic sauce taste good when pair of the crispy thin deep fried chicken skin. They are not that greasy nor dripping with sauce. Compare with other Korean fried chicken franchise, KyoChon's fried chicken defnitely drier. No MSG, 100% natural ingredients, no fast food and only use the healthiest, freshest chickens.

Drummette size comparing with my thumb

We finished up the 8 pieces of wings and drummettes in just few minutes and left ourselves craving for more. So we ordered another regular portion of Honey series drummettes and wings, waited for another 15 minutes and I forgot to take photos when the fried chickens were served.  One regular portion is a bit little for two person sharing but two regular portions are a bit too much. Felt too full after finished up 8 drummettes and wings in the end of the day.



Comparing to the soy garlic series, honey series taste towards sweeter side, and I find myself quite disappointed that the chickens that they served to us are frozen chickens, a bit contradicting to their promises. I showed Peiyue the blackened chicken bones and smiled sarcastically lol. The chicken meat taste a bit off and funny too. Meh.



I really do hope that KyoChon can look into their chicken quality and deliver their promises made towards customers. For the time being, I think I had enough fried chickens I shall give myself a break. lol.






For more information:

KyoChon Official Website

KyoChon Malaysia Official Facebook Page