Pig for a prince at Zushi

The Kurobuta pork katsu ($13.95 lunch; $18 dinner) at Zushi (5900 Memorial, 713-861-5588) look like giant McNuggets, but they taste a whole lot better. The dish originated in the late 19th century as a version of Western food, in this case a cutlet or katsu. Kurobuta is to pork what Kobe is to beef, and it comes from one of the oldest existing breeds of pigs, the Black Berkshire. To make this dish, thick slices of Kurobuta tenderloin are coated with panko (Japanese bread crumbs), then deep-fried. Five large pieces come to an order, along with plain white rice and Asian apple slaw, consisting of julienned apple and grated daikon dressed in soy-ginger sesame oil, lime and cilantro. The slaw is a wonderfully refreshing counterbalance to the meat. But best of all is the tonkatsu dipping sauce, a fascinating cross between thick and tangy Worcestershire and sweet Hoisin.