Ca-Tu-Ya Japanese Curry House [Hong Kong]

• Ca-Tu-Ya is a popular Japanese curry house chain in Hong Kong.
• Ca-Tu-Ya specializes in deep-fried breaded pork cutlets, which are topped with curry sauce and served over rice – known as tonkatsu in Japanese.
• In addition to pork cutlets, there are deep-fried pork fillet, minced pork, chicken cutlet, and shrimp options.
• There are seven Ca-Tu-Ya branches in Hong Kong.
• The restaurant’s Chinese name is 吉豚屋吉列豬扒專門店.

 

The Back Story

I had a morning appointment at the Prince of Wales Hospital in the Shek Mun section of the Sha Tin District of the New Territories of Hong Kong.

Because of transportation issues, I decided to check into a hotel near Prince of Wales Hospital the night before my appointment. I booked a room at Courtyard Marriott Hong Kong Sha Tin, a short taxi ride from the hospital.

Since I wasn’t very familiar with this part of Hong Kong, I decided extend my stay by a night, turning an overnight stay into a two-night mini “staycation”. I wanted to explore the area.

It turned out that there was a large plaza flanked by two shopping arcades within a short walk of the hotel called King’s Wing Plaza. It was chock-a-block with eateries and markets. It was a veritable Foodie’s Paradise!

On the first night, I had dinner with a friend at a Japanese curry house called Ca-Tu-Ya.

On the second night, I dined alone at a Shanghainese restaurant called Shanghai Man.

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Ca-Tu-Ya Japanese Curry House – Overview

Ca-Tu-Ya (吉豚屋吉列豬扒專門店) is a popular chain of curry houses in Hong Kong. To clarify, it specializes in Japanese-style curries.

Ca-Tu-Ya is best-known for its deep-fried pork cutlets, which are known as tonkatsu (とんかつ) in Japanese. They are also sometimes called pork schnitzel.

Ca-Tu-Ya has seven branches in Hong Kong: Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon; Po Lam (Sai Kung District), Tsuen Wan, Kwai Fong, and Shek Mun (Sha Tin District),  in the New Territories; and North Point on Hong Kong Island.

Ca-Tu-Ya is actually based in Japan, where it has hundreds of branches. It expanded into Hong Kong in 2012. It also has branches in Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States. It maintains similar standards and offers similar menus in all of its markets.

Ca -Tu-Ya was first established in 1998. Its headquarters is in Tokyo, Japan. Its English name is Katsuya in Japan.

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Japanese Food Vocabulary

If you are new to Japanese cuisine – or learning the Japanese language – the following vocabulary list will help you understand the Ca-Tu-Ya menu.

Bento (弁当) – Japanese-style single-portion meal, sometimes served as takeout. It is often served in a covered box divided into sections. Each section holds a different food type. For example, one section usually contains steamed white rice. Another section might hold a condiment or small dessert.

Katsu (カツ) – Japanese dish made with a piece of meat or vegetable, which has been covered in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. It is often topped with a Japanese curry sauce and served with white rice and shredded cabbage.

Miso (味噌) – Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans, salt, and koji ( 麴・こうじ), a type of mold, which is used in the production of soy sauce, sake, and miso. Miso is frequently used in miso soup (味噌汁) along with seafood broth, seaweed, and green onions.

Tonkatsu (豚カツ) – pork cutlet, the most popular version of katsu in Japan. It is usually breaded, deep-fried, sliced into strips, and served atop rice. It is often served with a Japanese style curry sauce.

Udon (うどん or 饂飩) – Japanese style thick noodles, often served in a broth.

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What Is Japanese Curry?

According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, curry is “a food, dish, or sauce in Indian cuisine [which is] seasoned with a mixture of pungent spices”.

India is the birthplace of curry, and its curries tend to be bold, spicy, and complex.

Significantly, the term “curry” actually applies to a wide variety of dishes, using a wide variety of spices, with innumerable variations. Furthermore, Indian curries vary greatly from region to region.

Japanese curries should not be confused with Indian curries. They tend to be lighter, sweeter, less spicy, and more uniform than Indian curries.

Whereas Indian curries can be eaten with rice or various types of bread, such as nan  or chapati, Japanese curries are almost always consumed with white rice.

Curries are also popular in several other East Asian and Southeast Asian countries – such as China, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. But each country has its out take.

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Ca-Tu-Ya Curry House – the Menu

The Ca-Tu-Ya menu features various deep-fried pork options. They run from pork cutlets to pork fillets to minced pork.

There are also deep-fried chicken cutlets and deep-fried shrimp choices. They sometimes come with rice and shredded cabbage.

While curries are the most popular sauces, the menu at Cu-Tu-Ya also includes egg sauces, which I haven’t had the chance to try yet.

Side dishes include steamed rice, shredded cabbage, udon, pork ginger saute, pork kimchi sauce – the list goes on.

Beverages run from Coca-Cola and Sprite to hot and cold lemon tea, chrysanthemum drinks, citrus flavor with lemon drinks, and lychee tea with nata de coco.

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Ca-Tu-Ya Japanese Curry House – Our Yummy Dinner

My buddy and I both ordered Deep-Fried Pork Cutlets, which were served with steamed rice and shredded cabbage.

I’ve always liked Japanese style curries, and the deep-fried pork bento at Ca-Tu-Ya was not disappointing.

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Ca-Tu-Ya Japanese Curry House – the Ambiance

The dining room had a laid-back, contemporary Japanese vibe. It was well-lit, informal, and inviting.

Ca-Tu-Ya Japanese Curry House – the Verdict

The food was tasty, the ambiance was inviting, and the price was reasonable. I would gladly go back. I give Ca-Tu-Ya an enthusiastic two thumbs up.

Ca-Tu-Ya Japanese Curry House – Shek Mun  Location

Ca-Tu-Ya – Shop G08, G/F, Kings Wing Plaza 1, 3 On Kwan Street, Shek Mun, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong.

Ca-Tu-Ya is located in King’s Wing Plaza near the Shek Mun MTR Station on the Tuen-Ma Line.

Other Ca-Tu-Ya Locations

New Territories

• Shop 116, 1/F, Nina Mall 2, 98 Tai Ho Road, Tsuen Wan.
• Shop 88B, 3/F, Kwai Chung Plaza, 7-11 Kwai Foo Road, Kwai Fong.
• Shop 2006-07, 2/f, MCP Central (Phase II), 8 Yan King Road, Po Lam (Sai Kung District).

 

Kowloon Peninsula

• Shop A, G/F, Kai Wan Building, 142-146 Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok.
• Shop B-C,  G/F, Mong Kok Building, 546 Nathan Road, Yau Ma Tei.

 

Hong Kong Island

• G/F, Wah Hoi Mansion, 262 Electric Road, Fortress Hill, North Point.

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