Tonkatsu Ma Maison @ Mandarin Gallery ... Mangalica

Seriously, we weren't too hyped up when the name Ma Maison popped up for dinner. Ma Maison, as my memory tells me, is a French style Japanese restaurant in Bugis Junction with a following of a young crowd. That was many years back when I would be quite right to generalise and stereotype the taste buds of the early 20s as young, immature and unexposed. My preconception has kept me away from Ma Maison since then and I do not know what I had missed out. Nowadays, I would probably be blasted by outspoken Prada totting young 20s for even suggesting that. Still no Ma Maison for me but we did visit Tonkastu Ma Maison in Mandarin Gallery for Tonkatsu of course!

All the condiments to go with your pork ...... sesame dressing, soy sauce, sweet sauce, spicy sauce and rock salt.

Like all the specialized tonkatsu restaurants, Kurobuta (or Berkshire) is a must have pork in the house. In Tonkatsu Ma Maison, there was more than just Kurobuta. There was the Hungary Mangalica that I haven't try before.

Mangalica Pig, Photo courtesy of www.onlinefoodstore.co.uk (link leads to Online Food Store selling Hungarian Food Products). According to Jamon.com, the Hungary Mangalica Pig was genetically similar to the Cerdo Iberico of Spain. I like the Jamon Iberico ham and so, I was eager to try the taste of the Mangalica Pig.

The Mangalica Tonkatsu presented was covered with golden brown bread crumbs and crispy golden brown bread crumb crust is essential for every worthy tonkatsu restaurant. Beneath the golden brown crust was the perfectly cooked Mangalica meat interlaced with fats that made it extra tender, juicy and succulent. So that was how it taste if the Iberico pig is used as Tonkatsu. Even though the Kurobuta and the Mangalica looked very different physically, I didn't find the texture very much different from each other and I thought they are just as good.

The tonkatsu set comes with unlimited servings of rice, thinly shredded cabbage and miso soup. I chose to have multigrain rice instead of white rice and I find that it has more flavors when compared to the standard white rice. An interesting option for rice to go with tonkatsu.

Rice at Tonkatsu Ma Maison is cooked in the Kamado, or Japanese traditional rice cooker, which was placed near the entrance for all to see.

333A Orchard Road

#02-35/36 Mandarin Gallery

Singapore

Tel : +65 6733 4541

Opening Hours : 

Mon-Fri 11am~3pm 5pm~10pm

Sat, Sun and Public Holidays 11am~10pm