Battle of the Katsu: Review
Curry is one of the most popular dishes in Japan, and it isn't a surprise that they are best sellers at Japanese restaurants. Ranging from mild to the spicier chilli dishes, fresh curries can be cooked with mostly anything. From meat curries with a colourful selection of vegetables, to a vegetarian curry with vegan-friendly ingredients such as tofu and a rich variety of lentils, Japanese curry dishes can be enjoyed by everyone.
Katsu-kare is a very popular dish in Japan, and also in many restaurants. It is deep fried breaded meat, with curry sauce served over rice, or noodles. There is no doubt that Japanese restaurants in London are secretly competing against each other on who makes the best Katsu curry. Unless you are extremely familiar with Japanese curry, or an experienced food critic, or even of Japanese origin, then who are we to decide whose curry is best?
As consumers, food-lovers, and humans, we do however have a say in what excites our palette, and in this case of "The Battle of the Katsu," we reveal which Katsu Curry tasted better.
Well-known Japanese inspired restaurant, Wagamama has a range of fresh curries on their menu. From Fire Cracker Prawn Curry to Yasai Katsu Curry, Wagamama's selection of kare dishes start from £8.95.
The Chicken Katsu curry, which was satisfactorily presented neatly, is very rich and dark, by that; the flavour of the ginger was very prominent in the sauce, almost too warm for my liking. However, the rich essence of the curry was outstanding, with a mild spiciness and exquisite aroma. The rice of course was perfectly cooked, with an aesthetic scent. If you are Asian, you know the nostalgic smell of walking into your house and smelling freshly steamed rice.
The fried breaded chicken was perfectly crisp and golden, and had the most delicious tenderness to it. It was well seasoned, and the breaded chicken was complimented with a generous blanket of curry sauce. Considering the amount of food served on the plate, along with a side of salad, for £9.75, the price was satisfactory.
Yo Sushi, famous for its rotating and inexpensive sushi bar, does not have a range of curries in comparison to Wagamama. Instead, the menu only has a range of Katsu Curries: Prawn, Tofu or Chicken. Although Yo Sushi lack in the variety of curries department, the dish as a whole was very delicious. The kare sauce was almost a fruity flavour with a perfect combination of herbs and spices. The flavours were not as dark and prominent as Wagamama's curry sauce. The juicy tender chicken with crispy-coated breadcrumbs was soft on the inside and golden on the outside. The flavours and textures of the breaded chicken and curry sauce complimented each other excellently. The size of the dish was very small, and for some of us food-lovers, one portion might not be enough. Selling at £4.50, the Chicken Katsu Curry is also available in Sumo size for £8.00. The Sumo sizes are a limited edition offer and are only available for certain dishes at participating restaurants.
From my taste bud’s experience and my hunger’s satisfaction, the winner of the "Battle of the Katsu" would have to be…
YO SUSHI!
Their mouth-watering Chicken Katsu curry is worth a stunningly affordable £4.50. There's no doubt however, that I would rather pay £8.00 for a Sumo Sized bowl, and have more deliciousness to devour.