What is Maisen’s secret and why do foodies love it?

MANILA, Philippines - Fans of Maisen can now let out a collective sigh of relief, as the famous tonkatsu chain of restos opens its first flagship store at Greenbelt 5. Braving the Freaky Friday traffic, foodies flocked to the wood-lined eatery, opting for a taste of Japan’s best.

 “Tonkatsu is one of the staples of washoku (traditional Japanese fine cuisine). It is one of our famous specialties. It’s perfect for most Asian areas, and it’s a part of our heritage,” says Izutsu Maisen Co.’s corporate development officer, Tadazaku Fujishiro, who overlooks the restaurant’s global operations as he would the clockwork way of preparing its prime-grade fried pork cutlets.

“One of the good points is our soft meat. We beat the meat, and gently prepare it. This is our secret way of cooking it,” Fujishiro adds, speaking of the same level of patience and diligence of the samurai warriors, this time applied in what was historically a luxurious household meal that could be sliced with your chopsticks. 

Naturally, Manila’s well-heeled class went for Maisen’s Kurobuta Tenderloin Katsu Set, a meal of Japanese rice, miso soup, pickled vegetables, and fruits with a commanding slab of breaded Black Berkshire Pork as the centerpiece. “It’s so good. I like loin because it has more fat and it’s their top of the line,” exclaims Kaye Tinga, whose food choice isn’t necessarily telling of her figure.

Co-owner Richard Gomez, who was busy promoting his new blockbuster movie, The Love Affair,  even took time to join the cue of kurobuta disciples. “I like the tenderloin so much because of the tenderness of the meat and the special sauce that comes with it,” Gomez says. And despite having maintained his excellent figure after all these years, Gomez admits to ‘pigging out’ when faced with the irresistible katsu set. “I can eat up to three servings of the cabbage salad with ‘goma’ sauce. It comes free and unlimited, if you keep asking for more,” he reveals.

“It’s been my favorite ever since! I’m a ‘porky’ and I’m so happy that we now have Maisen here because the first time I went to Japan, I dreaded eating raw food, and it was Maisen that gave me my Japanese food experience,” enthuses power-designer JC Buendia. 

Yet, despite being proud of its premium pork, Maisen opts for a slice of the homegrown. With the prized porcine making up our second top farm yield, the Philippines shouldn’t really run out of high-quality meats for the Maisen diners. “Normally, we use local pork, except for our kurobuta, which we source in the US. I believe that every food business should be a local business because we want our tonkatsu to appeal to the local diners, not only for the Japanese people,” Fujishiro assures.  

The glue that holds every tonkatsu meal together is the breading, just like how an excellent businessman could turn a well-kept secret into a food enterprise. Ben Chan, just before cutting the ribbon, spoke fondly of his time spent in Japan, and just how close the land of the rising sun is to his heart and his growing food business chain.

“When he was young, he actually worked for a company in Japan, and that’s how it started. Even when we started Suyen Corporation, everybody noticed the Japanese characters in the logo. He’s always loved everything Japanese, whether it’s fashion or food,” recounts Suyen Corp.’s vice president for business development Bryan Lim. And bringing along likeminded food business-savvy friends like chef Florabel Co-Yatco, Rikki Dee, and big-ticket couple Richard Gomez and Lucy Torres-Gomez on the hunt for Japan’s best tonkatsu proves to be a success early on. 

“Our second secret is the panko breadcrumbs. We make it ourselves, in a small factory. This is the reason why we maintain its good quality,” Fujishiro reveals. Its special brand of panko, once hitting the bubbling oil, reaches what the Japanese call the kendachi, or the studied state where the golden crumbs blossom like sakura.

It’s quite a feat of poetry, but it’s better proven once the crisp skin reaches the palate, offering a truly resounding bite. “The breadcrumbs are amazing, while the pork remains soft and tender. Usually when you go from an overseas branch and bring it to a new country, sometimes the quality is different. I’ve tried both, and the quality is pretty much the same,” observes renowned dermatologist Dr. Z Teo, one who can’t miss the finer details.

 The saying, ‘Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander’ need not apply at Maisen, as the restaurant proves that half of the experience is in the sauce selecting. With four kinds of sauces, the Amakuchi or the sweet one, the Karakuchi or the Worcestershire-laced one, the tenderloin katsu sauce, which lends its famous tonkatsu sandwiches a healthy take-away following, and of course, the trade secret, the “special sauce” rumored to be harnessed from fresh apples, while Maisen’s katsu can be enjoyed in itself, just who can resist the promise of a sweet, tangy aftertaste?

“I went to school in Japan, and it brought back very good memories for me and the experience is just very refreshing,” Franco Laurel waxes nostalgic of his Torikatsu Don. “I texted my wife after having it, and I even told her, ‘Maisen is love’,” he adds.

For co-owner and hardworking Congresswoman Lucy Torres-Gomez, while the Kurobuta Katsu and the sukiyaki are top of her mind when stopping by the tonkatsu store with the luxury of time, but the snacks on offer at Maisen’s takeout counter capture her whim when she needs to grab-and-go. “The Katsu Sandwiches are delightful. It goes against the usual sandwiches everyone grew up with. It is simple, but always satisfying,” Lucy promises. 

Of course, a hearty meal should not be enjoyed without good company, most especially family. Renowned blogger Daphne Oseña-Paez sees in Maisen the perfect place to spoil her children.  “It’s so soft. It’s like perfection. It’s a little big, so it’s something I could share with my kids,” she quips.

But should you find yourself dining solo at Maisen, take heed of this word of wisdom. “A high-ball glass of Japanese whiskey—with ice and soda—is a good match for your tonkatsu. It makes you feel relaxed while enjoying your meal,” advises Fujishiro.

But a good glass of fizzy Yamazaki need not be an excuse for enjoying a memorable tonkatsu meal sans friends, just like how Maisen found kindred spirits in Suyen. “Maisen is a famous brand in Japan, and we have to protect our brand like we do in Japan. They appreciate the importance of our brand and I am confident that they can maintain our quality and brand image,” Fujishiro is optimistic.

So optimistic, indeed.

“We’re set to open the other two branches within the year, in SM Megamall and SM North EDSA,” shares Lim of what could be one of the fastest restaurant takeovers of the year.

For Kevin Tan of Megaworld, Maisen would be an excellent addition to one of their township developments. “I’ve been a very big fan of the brand for years now. I first tried it in Tokyo. I can’t wait for it to open at Uptown Bonifacio,” the real estate heir says. 

Yet, despite the growing demand for their katsu, Maisen thinks that success should not be rushed. “Our Japanese principals are very careful about ensuring that the quality remains consistent, so we control the numbers of branches we are opening. Because, at the end of the day, this has to do with the technique on how to cook, aside from the high-quality ingredients that we have,” Lim adds.

So, it’s not really striking while the iron is hot. How the finest Japanese katsu house earned its stripes for 50 years, with a learned way and a careful pace, Maisen’s art of tonkatsu, just as well as the long lines bound to lead to them, will prove how patience truly is a rewarding virtue.

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Maisen’s first flagship restaurant in the Philippines is located on the ground level of Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City.