A beef rendition of the deep-fried crumbed fillet has taken Tokyo by storm and it is with little surprise that Singapore has quickly jumped on the bandwagon too. The hearty gyukatsu dish is served in a manner similar to tonkatsu, where the red meat is complemented with shredded cabbage and white rice.

Ginza Kushi Katsu is the very first gyukatsu restaurant in Singapore and of course, we had to check it out. Mind you, the Japanese could queue hours just to grab a portion of these beef cutlets. Fortunately, there were no existing queues on a weekday (during lunchtime peak period) here in Singapore.

Located in the basement of The Paragon shopping centre, Ginza Kushi Katsu is an informal Japanese eatery that offers a comprehensive selection of deep-fried Japanese skewers.

Diners can expect tantalising options such as pork belly (S$1.90++ each), salmon (S$3.90++ each) and shitake mushroom (S$2.90++ each) etc. For that extra kick, order a cheese (S$4.90++), curry (S$5.90++) and/or demi glace (S$5.90++) fondue for dipping.

However, it is the gyukatsu that everyone is here for lately. Ginza Kushi Katsu interestingly deep-fries the premium beef fillets over extreme high heat (210°C) for just a minute, and the end result is a golden crispy breaded crust that encapsulates a wonderfully tender medium-rare flesh.

Choose from either Australia Beef Fillet (S$20.80++ for 90g, S$30.80++ for 180g) or U.S. Angus Tenderloin (S$30.80++ for 90g, S$45.80++ for 180g) for your gyukatsu; and we recommend topping up an additional S$4++ for a bowl of rice, soup and a mini panna cotta.

At a lost on how to eat this dish? You are certainly not alone. Depending on one’s preference, customers can self-cook the beef slices for a further doneness on a separate hot plate. Then, take a slice of beef and dip it into horseradish sauce, wasabi soy sauce or rock salt.

While Ginza Kushi Katsu’s deep-fried Japanese steak does packs a punch with every bite, we have to admit that they are not out of the world. That said, this is currently the only place in Singapore where you can sample gyukatsu though we reckon there would be many more to come.

Ginza Kushi Katsu
290 Orchard Road
#B1-47, Paragon
Singapore 238859
Tel: +65 6262 1304
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard / Somerset