Don.档 – Affordable Japanese Fusion Donburis at a Coffee Shop

Opened late last year by three friends, Don 档 is a store in a food court along Foch Road that specialises in Western-Japanese fusion donburi. Their bestsellers include the Wagyu Beef Don and Mentaiko Salmon Don which we tried. While the proteins in our bowls weren’t anything to shout about, we loved that they use japonica rice, which are rounder, thicker and have more bite compared to other variety of rice.

We tried the Wagyu Beef Don ($12.90) which comes with a generous portion of thick wagyu beef slices and a sous vide egg. Although the portion is great, the quality of the meat can be improved on. The beef slices here are first cooked via the sous vide method, before being torched to achieve lightly charred edges. We thought that the beef slices were too tough and rubbery after being overcooked. There was insufficient seasoning as well. However, the saving grace was the japonica rice which was sticky and delicious when mixed with the 72-degrees sous vide egg. On top of that, donburi sauce was drizzled on top of the rice as well, making it more flavourful.

We also tried the Mentaiko Salmon Don ($9.90). I was impressed by the thick layer of blowtorched mentaiko mayo which lay atop my salmon. Overall, it was rich, creamy and satisfying. Instead of grilling the salmon, Don uses the sous vide method which results in a moister and less flaky salmon. At 46 degrees, the salmon is still slightly pink in the centre. The salmon relies on the mentaiko to add flavour to it and was rather bland on its own. Once again, the creamy grains of rice saved the day.

Do give their new items like Unagi Don and Salted Egg Yolk Fried Salmon Belly a try! If you’re going in a big group, get their huge Kyodai Don ($28.90) which comes with a whole lot of different proteins like wagyu beef slices, fried chicken, sio bak, tempura prawns and more of their mentaiko salmon. It serves 2-4pax and saves you from the trouble of deciding what to get.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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