Katsuya is a Canadian-born Japanese fusion chain specializing in katsu, and this branch is conveniently located inside Diamond Plaza. I ordered the Japanese Katsu Combo with chicken. The meal came as a complete set with a generous portion of fried chicken, steamed rice, miso soup, finely shredded cabbage, kimchi, pickles and katsu sauce. There are also sesame seeds with a small mortar and pestle, which you grind yourself before mixing them into the sauce — a nice touch that adds some of the traditional Japanese tonkatsu experience. The chicken was remarkably crispy and genuinely delicious. The coating was light, crunchy and well fried, while the chicken remained tender and juicy inside. It was easily the highlight of the meal. The only disappointment was the sauce served on the side. To me, it had quite strong industrial/artificial aftertastes that didn’t match the quality of the chicken. Fortunately, the katsu is flavorful and crispy enough that the sauce really isn’t necessary to enjoy it. Overall, a satisfying, well-presented meal at a very reasonable price, especially as a combo. The concept may be Japanese-Canadian fusion rather than a traditional Japanese tonkatsu restaurant, but they certainly know how to make excellent crispy chicken.
