We hadn't come here for dinner in what must have been the longest, longest time.
For a season I hadn't been able to come here- I don't know why.
Life, I suppose.
But then we were in the area this evening, we wanted to have a meal we liked that didn't consist of too much meat or too much oil, we didn't want fast food, and so it was to Tonkichi at Shaw Lido on Orchard Road that we went.
There're many places around our island that offer katsu- some are more popular, some aren't- but Tonkichi, I feel, holds such quality in their offerings that you will somehow think of them long after you're done.
It's either that, or you will, like me, realize upon revisiting the place just how much of the food you didn't know you were wishing for.
This evening we decided to stick to our regular order- the Katsu Sashimi Set.
It looks simple, this one, almost no different from the other sets that Tonkichi offers, but let me just say that sashimi (and the freedom to have choice of all salmon for the sashimi) makes a lot, a lot of difference.
Maybe it's just me.
See, whilst I wouldn't mind the Prawn & Rosu Katsu Set, the Hire & Rosu Katsu Set, or even the Mentaiko Kasane Katsu Set (I like Mentaiko), there's something about the Katsu Sashimi Set that draws us back time and time again.
Let's just say it's got a contrast of textures, tastes and flavors.
The one thing about this meal, and all the meals over here is just how fresh, filling, and fulfilling they are.
There's never been a time when I didn't wish I had more of the salmon sashimi.
There's never been a time when the rice served in my bowl has been hard or cold or with grains difficult to swallow.
There's also never been a time when their cabbage (all shredded) comes out lukewarm or limp.
Not only are they generous with their portions, their food's always of a standard you can expect.
It's like, their rice is always fluffy and warm.
Their salmon sashimi is always fresh and thick and ice cold.
And their katsu- despite it being deep fried- is crisp on the outside, hot on the inside, yet never such that the meat becomes tough and dry.
Eating here I've never had the problem of chewing and chewing and chewing.
I've also never had the problem of the batter being too hard, falling off the meat, or so soft to an extent that it's all grease and oil.
The katsu's always nicely done.
What's more, if I'm not wrong, you can ask for more cabbage, more soup and more rice.
I usually do that for the cabbage.
Coming to you chilled and cold, that entire mountain of salad vegetable makes for a refreshing cleanse on the palate after all that crunch.
So, yeah, there might have been times where I've found it a little hard to get myself over to their place for a meal, but if there be a time when I want to have a cutlet of fried chicken breaded with panko bread crumbs, Tonkichi here be the place I'll want to go.