COCONUTS HOT SPOT — In the simplest sense, tonkatsus are just like pork chops.
But with a single bite, you’d know that the Japanese have turned this simple comfort food into an art form: Perfectly fried with just the right amount of breading and the perfect sauce.
Luckily for us Pinoy foodies, genuine katsu shops are popping up all over the metro. One of them is a genuine restaurant franchise imported straight from Japan.
Saboten, located at Serendra in Bonifacio Global City, is quite honestly a bit intimidating at first sight. But their timing couldn’t have been any better since a lot of Filipinos are already acquainted with the art of katsu, thanks mainly to Filipino-owned Yabu.
This, however, also works against them since Yabu is well-loved and comparisons are really unavoidable. With fairness in mind, we visited Saboten one weekend and objectively dissected their menu. And by that, I mean we were hungry and the idea of golden brown pork chops with unlimited rice, shredded cabbage, pickles and miso soup was a no brainer.
Perusing their menu, one sees Saboten has all the requisite katsus as well as some other variants that play with the idea of the tonkatsu. Among the choices are tenderloin, loin (both pork), chicken, shrimp. This variety is definitely a big plus for them.
Wanting to see if they were worth all the hype, I went with the Original Tenderloin Set (small – P375/ medium – P395 / large – P425). My companion, on the other hand, wanted to test out their more creative dishes and went for the Miso Katsu Tenderloin Set (P425), which was a tonkatsu with hot miso sauce.
This Japanese original can definitely give the homegrown Yabu a run for its money.
The tenderloin set was fried to perfection and the katsu sauce had just the right tanginess. The hot miso sauce was interesting as well but not as good as the katsu sauce.
I also give Saboten some pluses because of the variety in their menu—especially their interesting dessert and drinks selection (I had the Watermelon Wasabi smoothie – P115)—and their impeccable service. They had a slightly more formal approach to the dining experience as compared to Yabu. Tea was served right from the start and servers were always on hand for refills.
But truth be told, Saboten’s and Yabu’s creations are nearly indistinguishable, and it’s probably up to your personal preference to choose the victor. As for me, I think both restaurants definitely warrant return visits soon. No clear winner just yet.
Saboten is located at G/F Serendra, McKinley Parkway Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
