Tonkatsu Daiki Singapore : New Restaurant in Takashimaya That Took Us to Osaka in a ‘Train’

Tonkatsu Daiki Singapore Takashimaya may be the most interesting restaurant that opened in Orchard Road this year (and possibly in the whole of Singapore). The shopfront looks like a train. Diners step into one end of the train on the Kita-Osaka Kyuko line. They alight at the other end of the cabin into a tonkatsu restaurant along Osaka’s Dotonburi with a good view of the iconic Glico Man.

From Orchard Road to Osaka Tonkatsu

This is the train carriage which teleports diners from Takashimaya Singapore to Osaka. Being used to cafes and restaurants that squeeze us as tightly as possible into the precious high-rent spaces, we find the creative use of space and attention to detail at Tonkatsu Daiki Singapore to be a refreshing change.

Osaka Michelin Guide-recognised Tonkatsu Restaurant in Singapore Ngee Ann City.

We exit from the ‘train’ to enter Tonkatsu Daiki Singapore, a dimly lit tonkatsu restaurant serving Osaka-style tonkatsu. It is small restaurant but there was no fear of overcrowding as the seating is generously spread out with diners clustered along the perimeter. According to its website, the restaurant is Michelin Guide-recognised in Osaka.

From certain angles, this counter looks like a view from a riverside restaurant along the Osaka Dotonburi.

Osaka Tonkatsu Tatami Experience

Hidden deep inside the restaurant is another photogenic dining area. Here is the private tatami space at Tonkatsu Daiki Singapore. This space has a seating capacity of 7 pax and can be booked for private celebrations. There are minimum purchase conditions that are listed on its website (link provided below).

Tonkatsu Daiki Singapore Menu

The restaurant has a focused menu of mainly tonkatsu made with pork from two cuts – pork loin and pork tenderloin. Here are pictures of the Tonkatsu Daiki Singapore menu (online).

Food at this restaurant is prepared only after the order is placed. The pork is said to be slowly fried at low temperatures to create a crisp crust and a tender interior. Free refills of rice and shredded cabbage are available.

Our Lunch at Tonkatsu Daiki Singapore Takashimaya

For our lunch we selected a Classic Rosu Tonkatsu Set 150g ($29++) and a Premium Ebi Katsu Set (4 pcs, $32++). As indicated by the restaurant, the food preparation time was slightly longer than what we experienced elsewhere. My guesstimate of the wait was around 20 minutes.

The highlight was of course the tonkatsu. We had asked for it to be well-done and it arrived exactly as we like it – fully cooked but the centre remaining soft and moist. The crust of bread crumbs was light and crisp.

Both dishes came with rice and miso soup but with different sauces. The Rosu tonkatsu came with three types of condiments – salt, mustard sauce and a sweetish sauce. The ebi katsu came with a mayo-like sauce. The rice was plump and chewy – very enjoyable and the soup was flavourful but not overly salty as some miso soups tend to be. We found the tonkatsu tasted best with a small dab of mustard sauce.

Curiosity made us try the ebi katsu even though it was clear that the main event here was the tonkatsu. The prawns were good and had the nice crisp ‘panko’. Very good but not as outstanding as the tonkatsu. We will focus on that on any future visit and also save a few dollars in the process.

Overall, the combination of the food quality, unique restaurant design and friendly staff made our lunch at the new Tonkatsu Daiki Singapore restaurant very enjoyable.

Ratings:
Food: 4
Service: 5
Value: 3
Atmosphere: 4
Overall Rating: 4 TOPs 

Tonkatsu Daiki Singapore
391 Orchard Road, #05-33 Ngee Ann City
Singapore 238872

Open Daily
Lunch 11.30am to 2.30pm
Dinner 5.30pm to 9pm

Website