Heavy EDSA traffic calls for a Makati stopover. We were walking around Glorietta not having any idea on where to dine. It is also coincidental that we never tried the famed pork cutlet of Saboten and what a great week-ender it was to finally get a taste of it. It was 9:00pm on a Friday and we are 3rd in line. We are seated in around 15minutes. The side dishes is an appetizing treat to start the meal. Get a bowl of shredded cabbage, radish, and pickles with complimentary sesame oil. Ordered the large Tenderloin Set at P450 that apparently serves two. Also got a flavourful plate of Katsu Curry Loin Set priced at P410. On the side, added up an ala Carte Rolled Cutlet filled with Cheese. Tenderized meat in crisp outside. Meal set is also served with Miso Soup. The refreshing Strawberry Yakult for P175 is just as good. Service is efficient and the only thing I disapprove of is the fact it made me eat more rice. read more

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First impression: the place looks posh. It does, and I have the impression that the fixtures are purely Japanese. Maybe they don't but at least it did wonders for me. Saboten is one of those good tonkatsu places that you can try. They serve unlimited cabbage, miso soup and pretty much everything that a classic tonkatsu place does. I usually judge a tonkatsu place by how they bread and fry their meat. I'm more than happy to tell you that Saboten passed my test. I mean you should still go see it for yourself as this is purely a personal preference. Their meat is light and not heavily breaded. It's not oily too and that's a good thing right? The only catch is I find the meat a little bland so I really have to rely on soy sauce or something else for taste. Other than that, all is good. read more

Saboten - Japanese Near Me - Makati, NCR

"Oh my. Saboten. Cabbage. Pork." Those are pretty much my exact words every single time I am told we are eating at Saboten. It's actually not just the cabbage salad that I like. I like the appetizers that they serve in those small bowls that should actually be for sharing, but I like to hoard for myself. The cup of miso soup to warm my tummy, gatting it ready for the "battle" that is about to come. On to the cabbage, oooh, cabbage. Those slivers of cabbage drizzled with their roasted sesame dressing is heavenly. I can just have bowl after bowl of this and not have my mains. Okay, I take that back. The tender pork tonkatsu could probably be one of the reasons why I can't fathom going vegetarian. Dipping it into their signature sauce makes the tonkatsu even more flavorful. Usually when I have my mains though, I skip on the rice and just munch on the cabbage. read more

Saboten - Did I mention their tuna is really good, too? Perfect for non-meat eaters. - Japanese Near Me - Makati, NCR

This is my first time in Saboten and I don't know when I'll be back so might as well order the best dishes they have on the menu. The mille-feuille katsu immediately caught my eye. Made from extremely thin layers of pork, this katsu was indeed very juicy! It came with shredded cabbage, pickles, rice, and miso soup. All of which are refillable. Serving was huge so I didn't finish my order of 1 mille-feuille set (130g). It can get quite pricey here too. read more

While waiting for my wife, I roamed around Glorietta 5 to look for a nice yet inexpensive restaurant, but couldn't find anything decent. I was about to give up and go elsewhere when I stumbled upon Saboten. I really didn't know what Saboten serves, in my mind, it's a Japanese restaurant. And so I went in only to find out it specializes in tonkatsu and it's way beyond my planned budget. I thought of leaving but didn't. Instead I decided to splurge a little. I do not really like breaded stuffs because they are usually sharp and scratches my gums, but since I was trying this out, my wife and I decided to just order the sharing selection. It has 2 pcs of each: fried shrimp, crab croquettes, stuffed tenderloin, and a piece of loin. The set also came with unlimited rice and cabbage, miso soup and appetizers. For the shredded, I love both the sesame and citrus dressings combined. I think I ate two bowlfuls of it. I also liked that the servers explain how to eat and dress it the right way. For our meal, I enjoyed the breading as it was fluffy and airy, much like eating a Deep-Fried Taro Puff in Chinese dimsum. It didn't scratch my gums and it was fun to eat. The loin was tender and so was everything else. The only downside of this dish is the crab croquette. It was too creamy for me as if you are eating coddled milk. We also ordered drinks: Melon Yakult and Wasabi Watermelon. Both were a delight as it gave unique tastes. The wasabi watermelon is truly unique. It is made from fresh watermelon and hint of wasabi. For dessert, we tried the Lychee Matcha Almond Cake. It was okay, the three flavors can be tasted. It was too sweet for me though. Servers are fast and very polite. They bow to your every request. Ambiance is also nice. I enjoyed my experience here so much that I am interested to come back to try their other dishes. It was really exceeded expectations and way better than their competitors. read more

The first time I tried Saboten, I literally just came from its fiercest competitor for lunch. So basically, I ate in two unli katsu restaurants in just one day. Yes, my stomach was as bloated as you can imagine it to be. On another note though, I was really able to compare what makes one different from the other and what I prefer to eat more. Let's just say, I prefer the other one more. The Grated Radish Katsu is really a polarizing dish for me. It kinda needs that acquired taste to be able to appreciate it. I'm not a fan of it but that just might be because of me and my preference. The meat in the katsu though wasn't great as well, for me. It was a tad dry and I didn't feel the juiciness of the meat. After finishing off a couple of pieces of the tenderloin, I could feel how suya I was already with the taste. read more

One of the fads that recently swept the country by storm are tonkatsu restaurants. Knowing Filipinos, one of the reasons why it took off is because of the unlimited rice, miso soup, and cabbage they offer. I know it sounds like a joke but it's a big factor. Anyway, after trying out most of the tonkatsu restaurants that popped up, Saboten in my opinion is one of the better ones. Aside from having an efficient queuing system, their pork cutlets are really juicy and perfectly cooked. I always get the loin cut, the one with a layer of fat because it has a little more flavor to it, calories be damned. The only thing I dislike about Saboten is their karashi, the dollop of yellow hot mustard they give you. It lacks the kick that all the other restaurants' versions have. Aside from that little quibble, Saboten is my jam. read more

When I was living in Singapore, I would always eat in Saboten. When I moved back to Manila, I would always lament over the non-existence of Saboten in the city and feel incredibly sad (and hungry). Fast-forward to a few years later, the tonkatsu craze took over Manila and finally, after so long, I was reunited with my love, Saboten. Quality-wise, Saboten here is that same as it was in Singapore. Portions are the same, taste is identical and that has made me very happy. Each time I'm in Saboten, I always order the original Tenderloin set. It comes in small, medium and large portions. For me, the small is just the right size. All set meals include refillable shredded cabbage, pickles, rice and miso soup - this is probably the best thing about Saboten. You really feel like getting the most bang out of your hard-earned peso. read more

I looooove the food! Food was worth the price. Their chicken curry was really good. Curry sauce was smooth and had a little bit of spice! House tea was the first one to be served. You get to choose between hot or cold tea. Followed by their complimentary shredded-cabbage salad which was a diy. Overall was a perfect 5. Serving, quality and quantity was A+ and service was great as well! :) read more

There was a time when tonkatsu was the craze here and you see specialty restaurants opening left and right offering just that. As a lover of fried food, I have to say that I've tried almost all the tonkatsu places here in the metro and Saboten is my ultimate favourite. The restaurant's interior is really beautiful, from the hanging lights to the wall accents that are made from traditional Japanese textile; it makes the experience enjoyable. While I've never been to the original one in Shinjuku district in Tokyo, I can still feel the authenticity of Saboten in their local branches. It's conceptually similar with other tonkatsu places which serve refillable shredded cabbage, rice, miso soup and pickled vegetables, what sets them apart though is how their katsu are breaded and fried. Light, flaky and not oily. Their sauce is also the star of the dish for me, the perfect blend of sweet and tangy. The service is great too! The waiters are really trained well and are very nice. read more

This place's specialty is tonkatsu, and compared to the others I've tried, this one remains to be the best one so far. Other tonkatsu places are either too salty, oily or make me feel sleepy (from the flavoring perhaps), but this one isn't any of those things. The interior is nice and helps you feel peaceful. The staff is mightily attentive to any of your whims, such as, may I ask for more tea/ more soup/ more rice/ more salad -because of all of those things are unlimited. The tea is served either hot or cold depending on what you like. The soup is not salty and is quite good. The salad dressing here is one of the better ones ive tried at any tonkatsu places. It isn't the usual over killed with kewpie sauce. I've tried so many sets from this restaurant, even those with the shrimp and the crab croquettes -and I tell you all of them are good, and well made. The ones I keep ordering more than anything else would be the tenderloin set and the mixed chicken cutlet set. read more