dailygaelley

The second stop for the Davao Food Crawl last Sunday was Katsu Country. Borne out of the owner’s fascination for Japanese culture, Katsu Country boasts of its authentic Japanese dishes with a modern twist.

We were able to meet and dine with owner Arch. EJ Pasia and he talked about how he conceptualized the restaurant. Being a designer, EJ made sure to create an interior that reflected traditional Japanese elements with hints of modernity.

I personally love the interior. The whole place is definitely instagrammable. The place has tones of pink and brown scattered around. The wood motif is evident and the hints of greenery in the table centerpieces bring about a feeling of warmth.

We were met with an array of food. We were served with the Menchi Katsu Burger (Php 190), the Shrimp Katsu (Php 270), their Okonomiyaki (Php 179), their new Tomatodon (Php 239), and the Cheeze Gyoza (Php 120). We were also served with their famous Shibuya Toasts. We were able to try the Strawberry Shibuya Toast and the Choco Hazelnut Shibuya Toast. They also let us try their Strawberry Banana Milkshake (Php 130) and their Coffee Mocha Milkshake (Php 115).

As expected, the food was great. I found a new staple order in the Menchi Katsu Burger. The bun was soft but not soggy, the shredded cabbage added texture that I didn’t think I’d like but proved otherwise, and the bun had the perfect juicy-crunch ratio. The homemade potato chips were a great pair, as well.

The Tomatodon combines the Japanese katsu with the Italian Chicken Parmigiana. Beneath the tomato and cheese sauce-covered chicken lies a bed of rice. The katsu maintains its crunch despite the sauce and the rice perfectly pairs with the natural sourness of the tomato.

The Shrimp Katsu was perfect in the way that shrimp always is. I love shrimp but I had to cut back because of my allergies. Had I brought medicine and was not under treatment from a recent allergy attack, I would have eaten more. The coating was crunchy and the shrimp inside was meaty and big.

Overall, the Katsu Country experience was one that I want to repeat. The first time I went here, I ordered their chocolate malt milkshake and it still remains my #1 milkshake in Davao (and I’m a solid vanilla milkshake girl, ha). I like the fact that I now have new staple orders from Katsu Country. I recommend Katsu Country for a chill dinner with friends.

For more details about Katsu Country, you can visit their Facebook page here.