Restaurant review: Ca-Tu-Ya chain keeps tonkatsu simple
With more than 200 branches in Japan, it is not surprising that Japanese tonkatsu (deep-fried breaded pork cutlet) chain Ca-Tu-Ya has taken off in Hong Kong. Its first branch opened in Kowloon Bay in 2012, followed by one in Prince Edward and now another in Tseung Kwan O.
It's good for a quick, casual crunchy pork fix. Although it sometimes lacks attention to detail - the shredded cabbage is not as finely cut as that of its more high-end counterparts, for example - the sets also don't carry a three-digit price tag.
Basically, it offers deep-fried chicken, pork cutlet and shrimp, which you can choose to be served plain, over rice as an egg bowl, or with curry. Each table is set with sesame and tonkatsu sauces.
For their deep-fried chicken cutlet and egg bowl (HK$39), the seasoning hits the right notes but we wish the overcooked bird was juicier.
We like the thick, sweet sauce of our deep-fried pork cutlet with curry (HK$59). However, despite it being served on a hot plate, which seems to be more for presentation, it is not hot enough.
Perhaps tonkatsu is, after all, best eaten plain, because we like our deep-fried prawn and pork fillet set (HK$69) best. Both thinly coated, the prawn and pork are nice and crisp. Most sets come with a choice of a bowl of rice and miso soup or sanuki udon.
Ca-Tu-Ya, Shop G286-288, Phase 3, Amoy Plaza, 77 Ngau Tau Kok Road, Kowloon Bay, tel: 2351 1899. Open: 11.30am-11pm (Saturday and Sunday from 11am). Branches in Prince Edward, tel: 2398 9733; Tseung Kwan O, tel: 2618 6812
