Tonshou: Busan’s Charcoal-Kissed Tonkatsu Lands at Suntec City

A lunch that whisked us from a Singapore mall straight to the smoky backstreets of Seomyeon.

Some days you don’t merely fancy a meal, you crave a mini holiday. On a sticky Singapore afternoon that felt far more like high summer than late autumn, we slipped into Tonshou at Suntec City (#02-443) in search of precisely that escape. What we found was a corner of Busan so convincing we half-expected to hear the cry of gulls over Haeundae.

Tonshou isn’t just another tonkatsu outlet. The name itself is a giveaway: “Tonsyou” (숯) is Korean for charcoal, and the glowing binchotan grills behind the open counter are the soul of the operation. Every piece of pork spends a moment over real charcoal before it meets the oil, imparting a subtle smokiness you simply can’t fake with gas or electric.

Hokkaido Kurobuta Rosu Katsu Set – Properly Brilliant

We kicked off with the headline act: the Hokkaido Kurobuta Rosu Katsu Set (SGD $34). The loin arrives as a thing of beauty. Thick, blushing pink at the centre, sheathed in a lacquered panko crust that cracks gloriously under the blade. That brief dance over charcoal leaves the faintest wisp of woodsmoke on the exterior, while the fat renders to a buttery softness. Paired with Tonshou’s house katsu sauce (fruitier and less cloying than the usual Bull-Dog) and a dab of nose-tingling karashi mustard, every mouthful is perfectly judged.

The set is generous yet refined: cabbage that stays crisp even after lingering under the heat lamps, a red miso soup with quiet depth, fluffy rice, and punchy pickled vegetables that slice through the richness like a cold sea breeze.

Katsu Sando Set – Dangerously Moreish

Next up, the Katsu Sando Set (SGD S$21), and all table manners promptly evaporated. Two neat, crustless milk-bread triangles conceal a thinner cut of the same Kurobuta loin. The bread is lightly toasted for structure yet remains pillowy. Inside: a whisper of tangy fruit-and-veg sauce, crisp shredded cabbage, and that smoky katsu. Someone at the table definitely let out an involuntary groan. Zero shame.

Plum Ade – Summer in a Glass

To cut through the indulgence, the Plum Ade (SGD $5) was essential. House-made, gently sparkling, and tasting of sun-ripened maesil straight from a Korean ajumma’s pantry. Sweet, sharp, and outrageously refreshing. One sip and you’re mentally on a seaside terrace in Busan rather than level two of a shopping centre.

The Verdict

Tonshou could easily have rested on the charcoal novelty, but the attention to detail is impeccable. From the precise medium doneness of the pork to the adorable ceramic pigs that hold your used chopsticks. If a plate of pork cutlets is your idea of a holiday, get yourself to Tonshou. Order the Kurobuta Rosu and the Sando (yes, both), and do not skip the plum ade. Your taste buds will be in your debt. Your waistband might send a sternly worded message later, but that’s tomorrow’s problem.

Tonshou

Location: Suntec City Mall #02-443

Hours: Open daily 11:30 – 21:30

(Pro tip: weekday lunch sets are excellent value, and the queue moves briskly.)

See you in the queue. We’ll already be there. Again.