Maisen Tonkatsu

Istiara Putri

4.0

I was invited to be a part of a new product and menu launching of Maisen at their Shangrila Fort branch in line with their tie up with Bombay Sapphire as their flagship gin."Bloggers"(I am not) and guests flocked at the bar to witness some of the concoctions made with this English gin ,yes it's English wondering why the name Bombay?As India was colonized by the Britons and for the Indians love this spirit so much that they came up with this moniker,the work sapphire was incorporated because sapphire is prevalent in western part of Asia particularly Sri Lanka a nation southwest of India.And this gemstone is revered in the Mumbai area.A little fact and history there.Let's get it on for the menu.**Tenderloin Katsu Curry Set this for the purist ,the simple eater, tender tonkatsu on a bed of nice Japanese rice,curry sauce was separated which is admirable because it will depend on the preference of the person how much curry will be poured upon.It also came with raddishu and salad,the salad has this unique twist by having some okra or lady fingers in it.Or if you're into condiments like me you can have it sans the curry sauce instead use the different sauces provided on the table like the amakuchi a sweet based sauce or the karakichi a worcestershire like sauce with notes of subtle heat that livens any meat dish or you can go out of the box with the sesame dressing.The components on the plate were all good the rice was cooked into perfection ,the meat of the tonkatsu was moist and flavorfu and the crunchy crust was provided by the bread crumbs made the Japanese way by Maisen.A simple ,non complex complete meal.**Pork Hamburg-its their rendition of the burger steak with pork as the main protein component,cooked into processes steamed then pan fried,the texture was on the soft side not as cohesive as your usual burger.Different strokes for different folks.**Katsu Doria- I wasn't expecting much on this because in other restaurants I will not be ordering this,but surprisingly it delivers.The rice infused with curry was very good the subtleties of the flavor of the curry hit the mark.The protein which is the tonkatsu is brilliant .The cheeses combined here were not overwhelming which is the best compliment I can give to this item.An instant favourite for me,it is rich,filling and complete meal without the "umay" factor.Order this worth your every peso.Aburi Cheese Katsuni a crowd favorite of the event, a motley of incongruous elements of flame seared cheese mixture of cheddar and mozzarella ,onions and flavorful sweet soy sauce.All the ingredients works well together, textures,flavours were pleasing to the palate.This can be ordered in both set and ala carter with three meat variants of loin,tenderloin and chicken.Tenderloin Katsu Sando/Sandwich andEbi Katsu Sando/Sandwich- these are sandwiches in both tenderloin katsu and shrimp katsu variety it comes with salad and jelly when ordered.My preference is the pork version but both are good.Edamame Aglio e Olio stir fried beans in olive oil,garlic and anchovies ,a good starter or even a bar munch.Gyoza- their gyoza is flavorful and moist thus taming the oversaturating oily property of this Japanese dumpling.Thumbs up!The location is nice it's just across One Bonifacio High Street,ambiance is relaxing with nice illumination inside ,you will be greeted by a bar as you enter.It would be great if they will infuse the feel with some eighties jazz music Earl Klugh,Noel Pointer or Alphonse Mouzon.And on weekends they have DJ to end the tiring and hectic work week.Maisen a wonderful tonkatsu place.Thanks to Maisen Family for inviting me as an "independent " food reviewer .#tseeboogAsiano🐘#notfamousbutTRUE🦁#independentreview#notaffiliatedwithanygroup🦁🦁#hindisikatperoTOTOO♠️#NotoPlagiarizing

Hellen Hendro Jaya

4.0

Maisen at the Shangri-La Fort is the only branch that has a bar!!! Great for people watching.But you gotta try their new dishes too!Aburi Cheese Katsuni - melted cheese over their signature tonkatsu served with a sweet soy based sauce with onions.Katsu Doria - cheesy tonkatsu served over a creamy curry rice with more cheese. Love the risotto like consistency and toasty textures at the bottom.Pork Hamburg - pork minced meat Patty with a delicious demi-glace sauce. Better than any hamburger steak!

Yolenta Eka Puspita

4.0

Honestly, the reason why I had not been to Maisen before was because I was intimidated by the chic interiors that I had the impression it would be too expensive to dine in. So glad to be invited to try their new dishes and bestsellers as well as the Bombay Sapphire drinks because after having tried and now knowing the prices, I will definitely be back for more. Quality dishes for reasonable prices here at Maisen. Also be on the look out for promos like their recent Mother’s Day promo to make the meal even more enjoyable.My most favorite (and for sure I’ll be ordering this on my next visit) is the new Aburi Cheese Katsumi. It’s like a Katsudon but taken to the next level with the torched cheese. I like the combination of the salty, gooey cheese with the sweet soy based sauce & onions.Next to the Aburi, would be the Katsu Doria because hello cheese again, but this time with curry rice. Equally good is their classic Katsu Curry because I loved the curry sauce a lot. Plus here’s a little trivia, Maisen bakes their own bread just to be used as breadcrumbs/ panko for the Katsu. And then most of their other ingredients are imported from Japan where the restaurant first originated.I also enjoyed the Shrimp Katsu Sandwich very much especially with a little drizzle of chili oil since I like spicy food too.As for the drinks that they recently launched with Bombay Sapphire - (I’m not a heavy drinker) I thoroughly the “Refreshing” Gin & Tonic that was infused with cucumber, basil and a hint of lemon. About a week or so ago they had a Buy 1 Take 1 promo for the G&T, I hope they still have it or bring it back.I’m glad that many foreign restuarant chains are now in the Philippines, no need to fly to Japan or Hong Kong to enjoy them.

Francis Paulo L. Calvo

4.0

Maisen is a famous restaurant from Japan known for their pork tonkatsu. But though this restaurant prides itself with its delicious tonkatsu recipe, they are also home to a lot of other no-fail Japanese dishes, both classic and modern. . Tenderloin Katsu Curry Set P395. Let's begin with the more commonly ordered dish, if not just the plain, kurobuta tonkatsu or katsudon, people tend to go for the katsu curry, and Maisen's is definitely different from the ones I usually have. Maisen's curry mixture is a bit on the sweet and mild side. I'm not sure if you can ask for them to adjust its spice level (like in other restaurants), but what I liked about it was that it wasn't too overwhelming. You can enjoy it without getting your tastebuds numb.

Joseph Gohu

5.0

Maisen's branch here in BGC is the first branch to have a bar. Everything about this place screams class and I am loving it. Once you enter, you'll see the bar. You can order drinks there and chill before you go to your table and order your food. They also have bar chows that would go perfect with your cocktails. They gyoza was superb!We got to sample their specialty alcohol that day which was the Bombay Sapphire. The bartenders made various cocktails which highlights the dry gin's flavor. However, drinking that alcohol straight is just a punch in the gut. It was strong! This is the very definition of hard alcohol.The highlight of my visit were the food. There is absolutely no doubt that I will come back to this place because I just have to try those dishes again.I will start with my ultimate favorite dish of the day which was the Aburi Cheese Katsuni (Php 340.00 - ala carte & Php 510.00 - set meal): which was tonkatsu topped with melted cheese. When you read the description, it seems like it's a common dish that you can order at most Japanese restaurants but I am telling you, this one stands out among the rest. It's not just the cheese that makes it better, the breading and the spices put into the dish will make you keep wanting more.The Katsu Doria (Php 260.00 - ala carte & Php 310.00 - set meal): which was also another great tonkatsu dish because it had curry rice topped with cheese. You'll get more than what you paid for actually.Their tonkatsus are so tender and their curry was perfectly sweet and savory. It's just how I want my curry to be. I'm adding this to my top favorite places to go to when I crave for some Japanese curry!They also had these Katsu sandwiches which were famous snacks in Japan. I had one back in Tokyo but it was only bought at a convenience store so this one was a definite upgrade in terms of the quality of the meat. The bread was melt-in-your-mouth soft and the katsu (Shrimp/Pork) was tender which makes it perfect for the sandwich because it wasn't tough to bite. If you're not down for some rice meals you should order these!

Delwyn Chin

1.0

I ordered the mixed seafood set. The salmon was very dry but the shrimp tempura and cream dory were good.The worst part is i asked nicely if they can turn the music volume down because it was really loud. They turned the volume even higher. It was so rude.

Lili Chen

5.0

My fave katsu place! I always order the Chicken Katsu Set (P350). Tender meat and of course, unlimited side dishes! Food: 5/5  |  Value for Money: 4.5/5  |  Ambiance: 4.5/5

Rini

1.0

I got a very bad case of stomach ache and diarrhea after eating here about a week ago. I had the seafood katsu back then. I thought it was a different meal I had that caused the problem, until yesterday when a colleague of mine suffered the same fate after eating here as well. He had chills, fever and vomiting. I'm not sure what particular food (or maybe water) is contaminated here, but please make sure of proper handling of food and cleanliness of the kitchen.

Abdoel Rouf

5.0

Similar to Yabu and Saboten, Maisen also offers unlimited rice and sides to their Katsu Sets. My favorite is the Mixed Katsu Set which includes prawn, pork and mashed potato. The garlic mayo sauce is to die for. It’s perfect if you’re the type who wants a little bit of everything. Another favorite of mine is the Loin Katsu Curry Set, which in my opinion, is better than Coco Ichibanya. I’m also willing to try their Sandwich sets which I heard were also delicious.

Saarah Amelinda

5.0

I rarely eat pork, but I am a big sucker for katsu. I always order the same thing in any katsu place that I go to for good measure. This is by far one of the best.