The Yabu experience

MANILA, Philippines - As the country’s first and only authentic katsu restaurant, Yabu prepares its signature tonkatsu dish so differently from any other local katsu dish, that you notice the difference at first sight and first bite — it is so crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside, you can slice it with chopsticks.

The secret lies in its fresh, quality ingredients and method of cooking, which has been passed on by chef Kazuya Takeda, head chef of Tonkatsu Takeshin, a popular tonkatsu restaurant in Tokyo. Chef Takeda is Yabu’s expert consultant on all things katsu.

The Yabu difference starts with the meat. Sourcing it locally from its trusted partners, delivered fresh and never frozen; Yabu uses the best type of meat there is.

Kurobuta US premium pork, also known as the Berkshire Black Pig, is the “Kobe beef” of the pork world. It is pink and heavily marbled, making for a succulent and juicy cutlet that literally “melts in your mouth.”

At Yabu, the Berkshire black pig takes center stage in its signature offering, the premium Kurobota pork set. Regular tonkatsu sets are also on the menu with rosu (pork loin) or hire (pork tenderloin) cuts. Yabu also serves a selection of seafood katsu, chicken kits and curry.

Each Yabu set meal comes complete with miso soup, Japanese rice, Japanese pickles, unlimited cabbage with sesame dressing and a bowl of fruit, ensuring the diner gets the full tonkatsu experience.

At Yabu, each piece of meat — whether pork, chicken or seafood; is delicately rolled in fresh panko flakes and is cooked in canola oil.

A bowl of sesame seeds is presented to the diner with instructions to grind them, followed by the pouring and mixing of the kits sauce with the ground sesame seeds.

The final instructions?

 Dip, taste, and enjoy — the complete Yabu experience.

* * *

Yabu House of Katsu is at the second level, SM Megamall Atrium.