Mr peppery rice pork katsu Japanese cheese curry with egg

Today, I revisited the Food Place food court, located at Pavilion Mall. The food court is located beside the Oriental Kopi Restaurant. It is time to try another stall.

This time, I ordered the pork katsu Japanese cheese curry with egg set from the Mr Peppery rice stall, which cost RM19.90 per plate.

This hearty Japanese-inspired dish combines several comfort-food favorites into one sizzling hot plate. At first glance, it features a generous portion of crispy pork katsu, a dome of steamed rice topped with spring onions, a sunny-side-up egg, and rich Japanese curry gravy. What makes this version special is the layer of melted cheese hidden beneath the curry sauce. The cheese is placed directly onto the hot plate before serving, allowing it to melt and develop a stretchy, creamy texture when the hot curry is poured over it.

The roots of this dish come from two separate Japanese culinary traditions:

Tonkatsu (Pork Katsu)

Tonkatsu originated in the late 19th century during Japan's Meiji Era, when Western cooking techniques began influencing Japanese cuisine. It evolved from European-style breaded cutlets but was adapted using Japanese ingredients and panko breadcrumbs.

Japanese Curry

Japanese Curry arrived in Japan through the British Navy during the late 1800s. Although curry originated in India, the version adopted by Britain was modified before reaching Japan. Over time, Japan created its own unique style—thicker, milder, and sweeter than Indian curry.

The combination of curry rice and tonkatsu eventually became known as Katsu Curry, which grew into one of Japan's most beloved comfort foods. Today, it can be found everywhere from home kitchens and school cafeterias to specialty curry restaurants.