Tonkatsu by Ma Maison (JB Midvalley Southkey Mall)

Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Recommended)

Address: G-018, Ground Floor, The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey, Persiaran Southkey 1, Southkey, 80150 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'zim, Malaysia (Located within Mid Valley Southkey Mall)
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4kMuFp3tWWtvQSTN9
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)

🍵 Green Tea (Cold, Refillable) = RM2.50 (Nett Price RM2.90)
🐷 Rosu Katsu Set = RM35.90 (Nett Price RM41.65)

Service Charge 10% = RM3.59
SST = RM2.15

Click here for the Full Menu and Receipt 
(Opens in a New Tab, Price is accurate as of Posting Date)

This Japanese Tonkatsu Eatery was Pretty Popular and Crowded even on a Weekday Evening Near-Dinner Hour at 6.30pm. 🤔 Located near one of the Main Entrances of the Mall, it was Nicely Renovated in a Modern Japanese Design. 🇯🇵 Comfortably Air-Conditioned, the Music they play in the Background are some Soft Piano Renditions of some J-Pop Tunes. 🎵🎶

Most of the Staffs look like Myanmar Folks. Their Pronunciation of the Classic "Irasshaimase" during Entry isn't Accurate but they tried their Best. 👍 Friendly, Polite and Mostly Kept to Themselves. One thing I liked about the Menu 📜 is that they also put in the Nett Price so Customers have a Clearer Picture of how much they need to pay. 👍

What I am impressed with as I sat at my Seat is that they only provide Chopsticks 🥢 and No Spoons as Eating Utensils. 🥄 This is actually quite Authentic because a Japanese Meal like this is meant to be eaten using Chopsticks. 🥢 Of course I'm sure Spoons are still available if you request for it. It took 5 Mins for the Green Tea and 12 Mins for the Tonkatsu Set to be served. Everything was served up in 12 Mins, which was Acceptable considering the Elevated Level of Customers during that time. 👍

🍵 Green Tea (Cold, Refillable) = RM2.50

During Ordering, you will be given a Choice of Hot or Cold version of this. Once you've made your Choice, I was informed that I cannot change anymore. 🤔 Having said that, the Table next to me ordered Hot and they were able to change. 🤔 I guess its up to the Mood of the Different Servers? 🤔 This inconsistency in Policy is probably something they should look into.

Anyway, the Cold Version comes in a Standard Heavy Glass Cup. 🥤 Hot Version will have a Nicer Japanese Looking Cup. 🍵 Its a Big Cup nevertheless, and I do like that it comes Default with Zero Sugar. Colour of the Green Tea looks Decent, but unfortunately this is Extremely Dilluted with the Most Faintest of Green Tea Flavour. 🍵🤔 Personally I thought this isn't much different from a "Coloured Iced Plain Water". 🤔 Also, although Refillable, they don't go around attentively to top up automatically, you will need to raise hand to get their attention to refill.


Quality of the Sauces and Condiments

There are Quite Alot of them and I will describe them all in Detail. 🤔 I'm not a Shoyu / Japanese Sauce Connoisseur so I'll just be describing them as best as I can as a Layman. I liked the Sauce Container they have labeling each of the Sauce Flavours in Japanese Kanji. Hahaha quite cute, I don't mind buying one of this for my own. 😅

Classic Tonkatsu Sauce
Slight Salty not Overly So. Abit Sourish with a Slight Tang to it. 😋 Almost taste like a Classic Japanese Shoyu Soy Sauce but not. Not bad tasting.

Sweet Sauce
Dark in Colour, this was Slightly Thick in Consistency with a Sweetish Sourish Tang although not as Sourish as Tonkotsu Sauce. 🤔 The Sweetness here is like a Sweet Sour 甜酸甜酸 type of Taste. Also Not Bad Tasting.

Spicy Sauce
This one had what I would describe as a Slight Faux-Wasabi-like type of Chemical Spiciness? 🤔 Slightly Thick in Consistency again with a Slight Sourish Tang too. This "Wasabi-Spiciness" is Noticeable but doesn't bite, just a Mild Gentle Heat on your Tongue more of a Tease than anything.

Kewpie Sesame Mayo
Hahaha even though they took off the Label, the Bottle is still a Classic Kewpie Sesame Mayo and of course taste Exactly like that. 😅 If you have tasted this before, you will know what this taste like. Abit Sesame, Abit Creamy.

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🐷 Rosu Katsu Set = RM35.90

We now come to the Main Tonkatsu Set. And just like a Typical Japanese-Styled Meal of this type, there are Several Components which I will of course dissect and describe:

🐷🍲 Tonjiru Soup

I've cooked this before myself. Tonjiru (豚汁) is a Very Classic Japanese Pork Soup boiled with Pork and Burdock Root (Gobo). 🐷🍲 I'm actually quite impressed that they actually have Pieces of the Burdock Root within (Some Restorans don't bother to have this in their Tonjiru) Its soft to the Bite. 

The Soup itself though is More Miso-Based than Pork. 🍲 Miso is quite Prominent. Using Miso like this is probably a Cost Consideration because of course Miso is cheaper than using Pork. Saltish but not Overly So. 🧂 Doesn't taste exactly like a True Tonjiru Soup, but at least they do use Burdock Root (Gobo).

Protip: Because they offer a Tonjiru Soup in this, you actually don't need to order any Drinks. 🥤🤔 The Classic Way to eat this is to use this Soup to wash down the Meal. This Soup is Not Refillable however.

🍚 Japanese Rice

Uses Authentic Japanese Pearl Rice 日本珍珠米. Standard Look, Standard Smell, Standard Taste. 🍚 Decently Sticky Enough to be picked up in Clumps and eaten using Chopsticks 🥢 which is why Spoons are not needed. 

Quality of the Shredded Cabbage and Wasabi

The Shredded Cabbage is as how you'd expect, Nicely Cabbagey with an Airy Bite, Tasted Nice and Clean. 🥬👍 I like that the Staffs were quite Automatic going around and topping this up for you. Nice.

This Brown Wasabi isn't Real Wasabi but it is Strong. In fact I feel it may be Stronger then the Green Colour type. 🤔

Yellow Pickle and White Radish Condiment

If you've eaten these before, they taste exactly like how they are supposed to taste. Sourish for Pickle, Neutral for Radish. They're supposed to be the Palette Cleansers of the Dish I reckon. 🤔




🐷 Quality of the Tonkatsu

And now we come to the Main Event. Served with 5 Thick Cuts, this was Nicely Presented with 1 of them flipped to showcase the Beautiful Meat Fibers and Fat. 🐷👍

Beautifully Juicy Bite, it's the Lovely Breadcrumb Layer that does it for me for this one. 😋 As soon as the Crust touches the Roof of my Mouth, it just MELTS off so Nicely. Done Decently like how a Tonkatsu should be done. Very Nice. 😋


The Meat is Solid Meaty with a Juicy Bite as I mentioned. 🐷😋 Clean Tasting and Absolutely Not Porky, the Fat Part melts Delightfully in the Mouth. ♥️ You're supposed to lum Tonkatsu Sauce over this and while it is nice, I would recommend to actually not to lum because I feel this will make the Crust Soggy. 😅

Its the Lovely Melt in Mouth Crust that you really want to experience for this Slab of Tonkatsu. Shiok. The Meat really is So Clean Tasting that you can Eat it on its Own with Zero Jelak 原汁原味. 🐷😋 This is a Decent Quality Pork they used for this.


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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts

At the Price of RM2.50(Nett RM2.90 / S$0.90) for this Refillable Green Tea, I would advise to just skip this even though its not Expensive. 🥤🤔 It tasted Very Dilluted with Almost Zero Green Tea Taste and is basically no different from drinking an Iced-Plain Water. 😅 The fact you also need to raise hand for them to top up this already Very Dilluted Drink is not worth it. Don't bother with wasting your money for this.

If you need a Liquid to wash down the Meal, the Provided (Non-Refillable) Bowl of Tonjiru Soup is Good Enough. 🍲👍 At least for me it was enough.

At the Price of RM35.90 (Nett RM41.65 / S$12.80) is definitely an Affordable Price for this Tonkatsu Set. 🐷👍 For the Price of a More Premium SG McD Upsize Meal, you get an Actually Decent Quality Slab of Tonkatsu with its Sides. 👍

As I mentioned in the Main Review, its the Tonkatsu's Lovely Airy Crust that does it for me. 😋 I love how it Softly Melts and Disintegrates as soon as it touches the Roof of my Mouth while the Rest of the Meat delivers a Solid Juicy Bite that is so Clean Tasting, I did not bother to lum any Sauce and just ate it Kosong without any Jelak. Solid. 🐷😋

Overall I have no issues with this Restoran. Other than the Disappointing Dilluted Green Tea which didn't feel like its worth the Money, 🥤🤔 the Actual Tonkatsu Set is Affordable and Done Very Decently. Most people I reckon will probably have No Issues with the Quality of this Tonkatsu. 🐷👍 If you are Craving for a Japanese Tonkatsu Meal in this Mall, I can certainly recommend this to give it a Try. I definitely still enjoyed the Dining Experience here. 🐷😋