Sirloin, Chuck Tail Flap and A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Gyukatsu by Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu compared - beef steak versions of tonkatsu (and a comparison feature on actual Hida beef)

Gyukatsu is a relatively recent innovation of the popular Japanese cuisine tonkatsu. It is a beef steak version of tonkatsu, where instead of pork, beef is fried in the panko breadcrumbs batter used for tonkatsu. And unlike tonkatsu, the beef is cooked in line with prevailing practices for beef steak, meaning it is done medium rare, and diners can choose to grill it further at their table's mini grill if they want it more done.

It is no longer new in Japan, where it burst into mass popularity around 2015, but these Japanese restaurants are only beginning to start internationalising and opening up branches in other countries. In Singapore, the first gyukatsu chain opened only in the second half of 2024 (September), which is around the time when the major expansion of the leading Japanese gyukatsu chain, Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu, started happening, although there were smaller independent openings in Toronto (2019) and Hong Kong (2021) earlier. In Singapore, Gyusei Gyukatsu, a smaller brand from Japan that is halal also opened recently in late 2025, providing a great new option for the local halal scene.

I decided to try the original major gyukatsu branch, Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu, with a few questions in mind. Firstly, was the beef good when done in katsu style, or is the plain steak version better? And if katsu is really better, why? Secondly, does the wagyu sourcing of the beef make a difference, or can you enjoy beef from any other source just as much when fried katsu style? Thirdly, which cut is the best for gyukatsu? 

I managed to answer this with my friend by ordering a spread: I ordered the signature sirloin cut, which is standard Japanese black beef (kuroge wagyu) which is the dominant breed of wagyu cattle and could include Kobe beef, their chuck flap cut which is a lean but marbled and tastier shoulder cut (haneshita), and my friend ordered their A5 Miyazaki wagyu cut (not shown in the pictures unfortunately). 

And assuming that the A5 Miyazaki wagyu cut would be the most flavourful, I had the chuck flap first for tasting, followed by the kuroge wagyu sirloin cut, followed by the Miyazaki wagyu cut. We decided to have them as they were served - medium rare - instead of trying to grill them on our own because we weren't pros. So the photos and tastings are all of the medium rare doneness.

The first thing to note is the colour, which is reflective of the fat content. The chuck flap was actually the brightest red, not even the Miyazaki wagyu which is supposed to be renown for its brilliant cherry red colour. The Miyazaki wagyu came in closer to the sirloin colour due to its super high fat content owing to it being the A5 cut. When looking at others' sites' photos of gyukatsu dishes, many of them tended to be an intense cherry red colour - I am assuming that they ordered the leaner meat cuts. In particular, the chuck flap cut was more intensely brilliant red than the average beef steak at steak specialty restaurants. As you can see, the fatty sirloin cut is pale pink with streaks of red overall, similar to the Miyazaki cut.

The other thing to note is that the size was a lot smaller than the standard tonkatsu. Perhaps to control the heat, they slice it a lot thinly, so the thickness was perhaps 1.5cm or 2cm with the batter on. The breadth of it was around 2.5 inches, and the length was perhaps around 3 or 3.5 inches per half, so 6 to 7 inches across. It was very small indeed, nothing like a hefty chunky tonkatsu, and when it was first served, the size kind of reminded me of 2 thick-cut pieces of spam or luncheon meat. It felt much smaller and thinner than the standard slab of steak at most steakhouses, and this one has batter whereas normal steaks don't.

The overall set made up for the small beef serving due to the onsen egg and free-flow rice and cabbage, however, so you should be able to get your fill.

Chuck Tail Flap Gyukatsu (or Chuck Flap)

This is the leanest cut I had, which is supposed to have a deep beefy flavour. Unfortunately, it was deeply disappointing to me. And I tried it first, so the taste wasn't spoiled by having tried the other cuts.

The beef flavour was barely there, such that I was tasting the oil from the katsu batter more than any beef. It was even less flavourful than chicken or maguro tuna sashimi, with just the faintest of metallic notes discernible, and perhaps some super faint malt notes, and I am not even sure if those came from the oil. Any regular beef steak from any steak joint, even low-end ones, would be hands down beefier in flavour than this. 

That said, it was super tender without being mushy, but had a nice soft crystalline firmness to the bite, so the quality of the cut and frying was there. It's just that it lacked flavour, very unfortunately.

Normal (Kuroge Wagyu) Sirloin Gyukatsu

This was actually my favourite cut, and the good thing is that it is both their signature set and also the cheapest. As you can see in the picture, the pale streaks of fat are clearly seen, and perhaps that is the key to its appeal.

The taste was very richly beefy, buttery and with rich umami taste without any hint of being gamey. It seriously reminded me of a milder version of the Hida beef I had tried when visiting Gifu Prefecture (for photos I took of Hida beef cuisine when I visited the area, scroll all the way down), and also the A5 Wagyu Ramen by Mashi no Mashi which uses Kobe and Ozaki beef stock. It is really significantly above the typical Western specialty steakhouse in flavour.

I didn't notice the batter's taste or oil at all, owing to the prominent beefy taste, which was good. I did notice the crunch, but it felt like it didn't really contribute anything unique to the experience.

The texture was also good - nothing to complain about. There were no sinews, it was soft and tender without being mushy, and the fats somehow didn't come across as too greasy, heavy or in-your-face.

A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Gyukatsu

I tried this last, and also compared my reflections with my friend's, who also ordered an add-on serving of normal non-wagyu sirloin gyukatsu and also tried my chuck flap gyukatsu. 

Weirdly, it turned out to be much less flavourful than the standard sirloin cut, despite being whiter from having more fats. My friend couldn't finish the last 2 pieces of Miyazaki sirloin even though she finished the standard sirloin she added on, because the Miyazaki A5 cut was too fatty. The 2 pieces she left seemed to be pure fat or tallow. 

And despite this, the standard sirloin had a much clearer buttery umami beefy flavour than the A5 Miyazaki cut. I think the Miyazaki cut was probably tastier than the chuck tail flap cut, but because it paled in comparison to the standard sirloin, I didn't notice.

Like with the other cuts, there were no issues with the texture apart from the overkill of fats. It was tender, without sinews and easy to bite and chew. 

Condiments

They served a lot of sauces. In the main sauce tray, the leftmost one is the light soy sauce, followed by the salt and pepper in the middle, followed by the darker soy sauce. In the top left corner of the tray is a little saucer of Japanese curry sauce. Finally, they also have a large self-service bottle of soy yuzu ponzu dressing for the cabbage, but nothing stops you from using it for the beef.

My favourite was the light soy sauce, as I felt that the dark soy sauce was too subtle and lacked the salt punch that the beef needed. The curry sauce was a bit too busy and drowned out the delicate beef taste. The salt and pepper was a bit too simple, and lacked the complexity to balance the less flavourful beef cuts such as the chuck flap and Miyazaki. 

Grill at Table

If you would like your beef more well done, here's the grill on the table that allows you to further cook your meat. We don't recommend it though, unless you are queasy about the rawness. The waiter lit it up as is standard protocol, but we found the fumes a bit too disruptive despite not even using it, so we had him put it out soon after. If you don't intend to use it, I recommend preventing them from even lighting the fuel.

Verdict

First, an overall note to say that my friend concurs with my general assessment that the normal Kuroge sirloin was the tastiest, followed by the Miyazaki cut, followed by the chuck tail flap cut. And also that there is way too much fat on the Miyazaki cut.

Comparing different cuts and whether wagyu matters:

• The standard sirloin gyukatsu wins hands down on all points. It was the cheapest, had the best tradeoff between taste and fats, wasn't too greasy or fatty and had the richest buttery umami wagyu beef taste. In this case, the wagyu sourcing of the beef clearly mattered, because you don't get this type of buttery umami beef taste from any other type of cattle.
• The chuck flap gyukatsu is probably decent if you want something lean, and it doesn't cost much more than the sirloin. But honestly, why waste time on tasteless beef? If you want something lean, don't even order a deep-fried katsu dish. A gourmet standard steak is cleaner, without the oil or batter.
• The A5 Miyazaki beef cut is pretty much like a scam to me. It costs S$55 (compared to the S$25 for the standard sirloin cut), is way too fatty and has even less beef taste despite the unhealthy and greasy fats. The fact that it is deep fried in batter just adds to the already bad heaviness and greasy feeling. Avoid this at all costs. I think what went wrong is that it is simply the wrong cut for Miyazaki beef, which is known for being bold, rich and savoury, as opposed to creamy or buttery Hida and Kuroge beefs, so you would probably appreciate those special traits of Miyazaki beef in less fatty cuts, certainly not A5.

Comparing tonkatsu with gyukatsu:

• Tonkatsu wins. I personally think that pork pairs much better with the panko breadcrumb batter, because its earthy, sweeter, creamy and mild flavour is greatly enhanced by the salt and fried malty wheat-and-egg taste in the batter. Furthermore, probably because pork is cheaper, the meat-to-batter ratio is much higher, so you don't really notice the heaviness of the oil in the batter as much, and it feels more substantial and juicier.
• The only time when the beef paired well with the batter was with the standard sirloin which had a buttery umami wagyu flavour, and this creamy beef taste went well with the egg and wheat in the batter. This buttery wagyu taste also does well with the higher batter-to-meat ratio. 
• Otherwise, gyukatsu is good only if you are a diehard beef fan, absolutely love the batter on its own too, and love pairing it with Japanese tonkatsu sauces. The metallic, malty and beefy flavour of the lean cuts really doesn't pair well with the wheat, eggs or oil in the batter. I think it is no wonder that you don't see a lot of deep-fried beef cuisines, whereas you have lots of deep-fried chicken, pork and fish foods, such as fish and chips, fried chicken and even tonkatsu. 

Comparing gyukatsu with beef steak: Honestly, if you are a beef fan who is neutral about the panko breadcrumb batter, just go for a normal beef steak with a good cut. If you like the Japanese sauces, then go for a Japanese steakhouse. 

Overall, I would recommend trying the standard sirloin gyukatsu set just once, just to understand what it is all about. And if you like it, that is really the best set that you could order again and again. 

Hida Beef Feature

Finally, as promised, this was the Hida beef cuisine I tried, where I got to experience the authentic buttery and creamy beef taste that is frequently ranked within top 3 of Japanese beef.

My favourite was this Hida beef nigiri sushi served on a rice cracker (senbei) with soy sauce and wasabi. This is the one where we could taste the pure buttery, creamy and umami beefy taste with hints of warm earthiness. As you can see, it is actually very pale due to all the fats, in stark contrast to a lot of the brilliant red gyukatsu images I see online.

We also tried Hida beef takoyaki. They used different characters for "tako" here, because tako refers to octopus and there's no octopus here. This also had the Hida beef flavour in cooked form and was delicious, like a hearty beef stew with Hida intensity, due to how creamy the interior of the balls were.

There was also this Hida beef kakuni manju, which is a beef that was either braised or grilled, served between fluffy steamed Chinese buns like a hotdog. There was also the signature Hida beef taste, but with the buns taking up a lot of volume and diluting the flavour, it wasn't as remarkable as the earlier treats.

Finally, we dined at a diner serving standard Japanese fare such as gyudon and yakiniku hotplate with Hida beef. These were a bit overdone, as you can see, which is a pity. It wasn't too tough though, because of the fats. But if it wasn't overdone, it would have been better than the standard gyudon and yakiniku chains due to the more flavourful Hida beef used.

Discover other beef, meat and fried treats

• (mentioned) Ultra Wagyu Ramen (Wagyu Beef Broth Ramen) by Mashi no Mashi
• Bacon Tempura in Udon Shin's Carbonara Udon
• Curry Cheese Bread by Giraffa Curry Bread Specialist from Japan
• Malioboro Soft Bone Chicken - Chicken You Can Eat Whole, Bones and All
• Tip Top Puffs: Beef Rendang and Tom Yum Chicken
• Pongteh, Ayam Kleo and Beef Rendang Pies by Peramakan
• Classic Yam with Iberico Ham Pastry (last item) and other pastries by Old Seng Choong
• Pork Skin Crisps with Green Chilli Dip