Many many thanks to Xiaomin from Ate Consulting for the invite!
I have to honestly admit that I am a food junkie. Anything deepfried makes me go weak. Everytime Tonkatsu appears on the menu, I have this huge impulse to order it and keep my fingers crossed it would be marvellous and worth every living calorie.
Established in 1927, Ginza Barin hails from Tonkatsu-land and there are plans for more outlets to be expanded beyond the shores to Hongkong and Shanghai. Apart from Tonkichi, Ginza Bairin is perhaps the only other Tonkatsu specialist in Singapore. In Tokyo, it is a full service restaurant, rather than the partial self service outlet at Ion.
Ginza Bairin prides themselves for their premium pork cuts, original breadcrumbs that will still retain its flavour and crisp even if the breaded meats are not consumed immediately and cotton seed oil that is used to fry the meats.
Special Black Pig Katsudon ($17.90) was highly raved about by Xiaomin and the rest of the customers, garnering it a "hotseller" ranking in Tokyo.
Simply put together by a thick cut of pork cutlet, two eggs (an omelette and a sunny side up egg) on a lovely bed of rice. I appreciate how this was not overladen with sweet onions as most rice bowls would be.
Polking through the egg yolk was mad fun, watching it go pop and trickling down the grains, dyeing them a perfect daffodil yellow. Slightly soggy the breadcrumbs had become but that did not mar the fullness of the pork. Nary the gameyness of pork dishes, neither was their tendons in the way, pork was lean yet juicy.
Pickled vegetables as an appetizer!
A whole new world opened up for this miso soup, cooked with daikon and pork belly slices..
Some dishes exclusive to Singapore include Cheese Potato Croquettes. This light flavoured snack was delightful on the palette. Would have loved for thick, molten cheese to spill out though.
Made from apples, onions and spices, their signature Tonkatsu sauce is so popular..the thoughtful folks at Ginza Bairin have bottled them for sale. Personally found the sauce a tad sweet, I prefer the cream sauce that came with the Tonkatsu instead.
Toast Cheese Pork Katsu sandwiches ($9.60) that stood out from the crowd of carb laden rice dishes, this was created during the World War by one of their customers who purchased Ginza Bairin's tonkatsus. Finding comfort in them, he decided to get Ginza Bairin to include them in the menu. Bless his kind soul because I totally loved this best. Ingenious idea of pairing the succulent pork with shredded cabbage and bread. The chewyness of the thin bread was addictive. Dipping this into the sauce was beyond oiishii.
Mini Burger (Pork Filet) ($6.50) was wayyyy to cute to handle! The pork filet was crispy though the bread overshadowed it here.
Ramen is not Ginza Bairin's knack, to be honest. Tonkotsu Char Siew Ramen ($15.50) was supposedly a Ginza Bairin Original.
The soup albeit flavourful was lacking a certain richness the ramen specialists had. Springy noodles and thick pork slices made this hearty though not satisfying.
Affordable tonkatsu is what Ginza Bairin is. Tonkichi is somehow still tops here but Ginza Bairin comes near, really.
http://www.ginzabairin.com/
Ginza Bairin
Ion Basement
I have to honestly admit that I am a food junkie. Anything deepfried makes me go weak. Everytime Tonkatsu appears on the menu, I have this huge impulse to order it and keep my fingers crossed it would be marvellous and worth every living calorie.
Established in 1927, Ginza Barin hails from Tonkatsu-land and there are plans for more outlets to be expanded beyond the shores to Hongkong and Shanghai. Apart from Tonkichi, Ginza Bairin is perhaps the only other Tonkatsu specialist in Singapore. In Tokyo, it is a full service restaurant, rather than the partial self service outlet at Ion.
Ginza Bairin prides themselves for their premium pork cuts, original breadcrumbs that will still retain its flavour and crisp even if the breaded meats are not consumed immediately and cotton seed oil that is used to fry the meats.
Special Black Pig Katsudon ($17.90) was highly raved about by Xiaomin and the rest of the customers, garnering it a "hotseller" ranking in Tokyo.
Simply put together by a thick cut of pork cutlet, two eggs (an omelette and a sunny side up egg) on a lovely bed of rice. I appreciate how this was not overladen with sweet onions as most rice bowls would be.
Polking through the egg yolk was mad fun, watching it go pop and trickling down the grains, dyeing them a perfect daffodil yellow. Slightly soggy the breadcrumbs had become but that did not mar the fullness of the pork. Nary the gameyness of pork dishes, neither was their tendons in the way, pork was lean yet juicy.
Pickled vegetables as an appetizer!
A whole new world opened up for this miso soup, cooked with daikon and pork belly slices..
Some dishes exclusive to Singapore include Cheese Potato Croquettes. This light flavoured snack was delightful on the palette. Would have loved for thick, molten cheese to spill out though.
Made from apples, onions and spices, their signature Tonkatsu sauce is so popular..the thoughtful folks at Ginza Bairin have bottled them for sale. Personally found the sauce a tad sweet, I prefer the cream sauce that came with the Tonkatsu instead.
Toast Cheese Pork Katsu sandwiches ($9.60) that stood out from the crowd of carb laden rice dishes, this was created during the World War by one of their customers who purchased Ginza Bairin's tonkatsus. Finding comfort in them, he decided to get Ginza Bairin to include them in the menu. Bless his kind soul because I totally loved this best. Ingenious idea of pairing the succulent pork with shredded cabbage and bread. The chewyness of the thin bread was addictive. Dipping this into the sauce was beyond oiishii.
Mini Burger (Pork Filet) ($6.50) was wayyyy to cute to handle! The pork filet was crispy though the bread overshadowed it here.
Ramen is not Ginza Bairin's knack, to be honest. Tonkotsu Char Siew Ramen ($15.50) was supposedly a Ginza Bairin Original.
The soup albeit flavourful was lacking a certain richness the ramen specialists had. Springy noodles and thick pork slices made this hearty though not satisfying.
Affordable tonkatsu is what Ginza Bairin is. Tonkichi is somehow still tops here but Ginza Bairin comes near, really.
http://www.ginzabairin.com/
Ginza Bairin
Ion Basement
I love their special katsu don!! :D
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