Saboten Express at the newly renovated Cathay Mall continues to serve some of the best tonkatsu in Singapore. The quality of the pork cutlet remains excellent — golden and crisp on the outside, juicy and tender inside. The Japanese rice is fragrant and perfectly cooked, making each bite satisfying and true to the classic Saboten flavor.
That said, this outlet runs under a different concept from the regular Saboten restaurants. Here, only rice and shredded cabbage are refillable, while the miso soup and ice cream — usually part of the set with unlimited refills at the full-service outlets — are not included. The staff explained that this is because it’s an “Express” outlet.
However, I was a bit disappointed and seem the prices are not any cheaper despite the scaled-down concept. Given the lack of the usual extras, it feels like you’re paying the same amount for a more limited experience.
Still, the food quality remains consistently good, and if you’re nearby and craving a quick tonkatsu fix, Saboten Express at The Cathay is a reliable option.
Vincent
1
Food was good, BUT service was really bad. My Tofu side dish was first served without utensils. When requested, the young waiter said they would provide when they serve the main dishes later. As we were hungry, we could not wait any longer. Then I had to self-service to get the utensils. To my surprise, the young waiter stopped me and insisted that I was not allowed to take the utensils myself. He insisted he would provide later, BUT the serving was too slow. What a stupid and inflexible service rule!!!
WK 1122
4
Ordered the Signature Set, which includes tenderloin, loin, and chicken katsu. All the meats were juicy and not dry, with a nice crispy coating that wasn’t oily. The tenderloin stood out a little being extra juicy and flavorful. The tonkatsu sauce had a good balance of sour, salty, and sweet, pairing well with the meats.
I highly recommend adding the curry sauce ( thick and rich), goes well with both the meats and the rice. The rice was a bit too soft and sticky for my liking, but still acceptable. You can also top up rice and lettuce for free, which is a great plus!
There’s currently a 30% discount and no service charge, making the meal really worth it. Seating is a little tight, but still reasonably comfortable overall.
Ernest
5
Delicious pork tonkatsu! Highly recommend their loin katsu set and curry rice options. The signature set comes with various cuts + chicken katsu while the special set comes with a piece of fried ebi. There is also an ongoing opening promotion (30% off selected food options) until 31 Aug 2025.
c lex
5
Had the chicken katsu set and it was really good! The breading was so light and airy. And I love the experience of grinding the sesame seeds (love that little branch), the addition of the sesame really elevated the sauce. The staff were all friendly as well.
C Lau
4
A very satisfying meal. I had the Pork Loin curry set $17, which came with rice, miso soup and cabbage. You can ask for top ups of the cabbage and rice.
I love how perfectly crispy the crumb was. Learnt from a video that the breadcrumbs are made in house. I found the pork loin slightly on the tough side, with a good fat to meat ratio. The curry was thick and fragrant, very yummy.
It was a comfortable dining experience and service was attentive. I particularly enjoyed having access to the sauces and condiments provided at the table.
Fairy
5
The pork is of very good quality.
Tenderloin is really tender.
Loin is more chewy but also tastes good.
Order can be placed via QR code.
The restaurant is clean and cosy.
Serene Teo
4
There was an opening discount when we went but the food is always good at Saboten! Salad refill was abit slower here than other outlets but Cineleisure is considerably more quiet thus they only had 1 staff. Understandable - didn’t impact the experience much. Food js still yums!
Ar Princess
4
Opening promo of 30%discount for dinner, makes it the #1 reason to dine here for all tonkatsu fans. Free refill of rice & lettuce. Tonkatsu also not oily. Would be better if there are more choices of side dishes such as chawanmushi, edamame.
Sean
5
I came for their mall organised promotion 13 Jun 2025. It was a genuine promotion and the item served, agedashi tofu, was properly made and was delicious. I have checked that they don't have service charge but have GST. The staff and waiter also carried themselves well.