Saboten is a popular tonkatsu chain that have been in Singapore for more than a decade. Tagosaku is a well-known okowa brand with over 90 stores throughout Japan. Tagosaku Okowa & Saboten Deli Tonkatsu come together in Parkway Parade so that we can enjoy healthy okowa and indulgent tonkatsu at the same time.
Saboten
Both Tagosaku and Saboten are brands belonging to a Japanese food group called Green House Foods. When the original owners were preparing to enter the restaurant business, they travelled overseas for training. During their trip, they saw the cactus plant (“saboten” in Japanese) thriving in the desert with little water. Inspired by the plant’s vitality and its ability to survive in any environment, they named their restaurant “Saboten”. The first Saboten Tonkatsu restaurant opened in the Odakyu Department Store’s underground shopping street in 1996. From a pork cutlet restaurant business, they diversified to offer other Japanese dishes as well as Chinese and Spanish cuisines. Tagosaku is their brand for okowa delicatessen. Today, Green House Foods have over two thousand outlets in Japan as well as in places like China, Thailand, and Singapore.
Tagosaku Okowa & Saboten Deli Tonkatsu operate as one restaurant in Parkway Parade. It is located on the mini food hall in Parkway Parade on level 1 of the mall. The interior décor is simple. It has the look and feel of a typical casual Japanese diner. The open-plan dining area feels airy and spacious despite its compact size.
Menu of Saboten + Tagosaku Deli
Saboten offers pork cutlet and Tagosaku offers okowa (おこわ), a Japanese glutinous rice dish. Below is a picture of the menu board.
What they sell can also be seen in the display counters.
Set Meals
We ordered the Karaage Okowa Set ($17.50) and Aji & Mini Tenderloin Set ($18). Iced Green Tea was $2.80 each. Service charge and GST would be added to the bill.
The Karaage Okowa Set offered a choice of two flavours of okowa. We opted for the chicken okowa and the salmon okowa. Both were delicious, with the rice possessing a sticky and chewy texture. The fried chicken was well-marinated and had a light, crisp coating. The meat inside was tender and juicy. We also enjoyed the sweet potato and other small accompaniments that came with the set. The whole set was a fairly generous portion.
The Aji & Mini Tenderloin Set was also enjoyable. The Aji fish had a clean, delicate flavour. The pork loin was tender. The golden panko crust for both the fish and pork was light and airy and had a satisfying crunch.
Overall it was a good meal in a pleasant space at a reasonable price.
Ratings:
Food: 3
Service: 3
Value: 4
Atmosphere: 3
Overall Rating: 3 TOPs
Saboten + Tagosaku Deli
80 Marine Parade Road
#01-K35 & K36, Parkway Parade
Singapore 449269
Opening Hours: 11 am to 10 pm
Nearby MRT Station: Marine Parade (E26)
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