Rice is life at this new donburi place

Who’s afraid of eating rice? At newly opened Japanese restaurant Don Don Tei, there’s no cutting the carbs especially when its light, fluffy, and not too sticky white rice is topped with a generous serving of fresh seafood or premium meat. Just the way the Japanese want it. 

Opening its doors in time for the summer break, global brand Don Don Tei, which literally means “rice bowl house,” has finally arrived in the Philippines.  

The original restaurant in Abeno, Osaka opened its doors in November 1988. From a 14-seater bar, the enterprise became a global chain of restaurants with locations in Hong Kong, US, and now, the Philippines.

Since 1967, parent company Gourmet Kineya is known for establishing brands built on the principles of authentic Japanese cuisine, taste, convenience, and affordability and has built 300 shops across Japan.

According to Masahiro Nishida, Director for Business Strategy and Planning (Gourmet Kineya), “Filipinos and Japanese have a common love for rice, which is a staple in both our meals. So, it’s a good market for the restaurant. The Philippines has a growing market, which is a good opportunity to bring the business here.”

Don Don Tei is the second franchise of Oishi Gourmet Foods, Inc. (OGFI), after J. Co Donuts. According to Trina Lim, Vice President for Operations and Marketing,, J.Co Donuts now 74 branches across the country since they first opened its doors to the Philippines a decade ago. While they are conservative about their expansion for Don Don Tei, putting location as a prime factor, the group hopes to repeat the same success as their first franchise venture. 

Authentic flavors

Three Japanese donburi and tempura masters flew in to oversee the operations at Don Don Tei’s first branch at Robinsons Galleria. A few months ago, the restaurant’s Filipino team traveled to Japan for training, too. 

At the opening, guests had a taste of its celebrated donburi dishes. Among the early favorites were the seafood rice bowls such as Special Ebi Tendon, with plump deep-fried battered Black Tiger Prawns. A mix of vegetable tempura such as squash, eggplant, and green bell pepper made the bowl even more filling. 

Grilled Mackerel Don, another dish worthy of a thumbs up, consisted of pan-fried mackarel brushed with the restaurant’s slightly sweet, slightly umami signature sauce. Not scrimping on flavor and aesthetics, it was served with finely shredded egg (that one could mistake as a drizzle of mayo at first glance), cucumber slices, and crab sticks.

For meat lovers, there’s Gyudon, a hefty serving of sliced beef belly simmered with Don Don Tei’s signature sauce; Chicken Karaage Don has a crust that’s crispy to the bite and meat that’s juicy and tender as well;  and the Katsu Curry likewise has a tender pork cutlet, savory curry sauce, and pickled radish to balance the rich flavors. 

The full menu is quite a range and includes soba, sushi rolls, and teishoku sets with the best-selling Nagoya-style Unagi Teishoku with torched unagi in Kabayaki sauce served in a set with green beands and carrots kobachi, trubozuke pickles, soup, rice, potato salad, and of course, Japanese rice.

Leave some room for dessert: Milk soft-serve cream scooped in a special shell made of mochi (rice). Called Monaka shells, they come in exquisite shapes like flowers. At the restaurant, the shells were shaped like temples. Crunchy with a pleasant texture, Monaka shells are usually enjoyed with red beans as filling. Nishida proudly shared that the delicate Monaka shells were hand-carried from Japan for the occasion.

Price points are attractive. The donburi range from P300 to P400, which is reasonable for the premium quality of its ingredients and affordable enough for the corporate set in the Ortigas area, and for its large portions, for families in surrounding residential buildings. — LA, GMA Integrated News