Dining with the Japanese expatriates at Donguri

AsiaOne | AsiaOne | Wed Feb 2 2011

by AsiaOne

Singapore, February 2, 2011

Donguri
120 Adam Road

See more pictures of Donguri Family Restaurant dishes

The Japanese Association, a premier club for Japanese expatriates in Singapore, houses several dining outlets.

In order to dine there, you must first be a member. According to the association’s website, membership fees start at $5,000.

The AsiaOne team had the privilege of having lunch at the family-style restaurant, Donguri, recently.

The pricing was rather affordable, but one of the interesting things which stood out was that the menu listed the calorie count of each food item, which helped us decide which foods to choose if we were watching our waistlines.

Here's our verdict of Donguri's food:

Hamburger with curry rice ($11.50)

“The pork and beef patty was quite good as the two meats complemented each other well. While the curry was very tasty, it quite overshadowed the taste of the meat. The rice was just the right texture - sticky and yummy. Overall, it was quite an adequate serving.”

Buta Shoga Yaki Set ($15.50)

“The set was rather filling. While the pan fried pork loin with ginger sauce was rather tender, I found it to be a bit on the salty side.”

Katsu Don ($10.50)

“The katsu-don, although served with a generous portion of rice, was not as tasty as the yakiniku don. By comparison, the pork cutlet seemed a little tough and chewy as compared to the tender, ground beef.”

Katsu Curry & Blended Coffee ($11.00, $3.20)

“The curry was fragrant and smooth, its thickness just right to spoon over rice. Wish there were more cubed carrots and potatoes in the curry though.

The large breaded pork cutlet was fried to an appetising golden hue, providing crunch and bite with each mouthful of rice.

“There were pickles and vinegared onions on the side, giving that extra kick to a simple and satisfying meal. A cup of piping hot coffee rounded off my lunch very nicely.”

Miso Katsu Don ($11.00)

“The deep fried pork tenderloin was crispy, crunchy and golden - definitely pleasing to the eye. While it could be more tender, the pork was perfectly paired with a miso sauce drizzled on top of the katsu-don.

The sauce had just the right amount of tang, and avoids the saccharine sweetness that some sauces tend to have.

There was just the right amount to complement the meat, so it doesn't overwhelm it in the least. This was served with a generous portion of rice.”

Katsu Don ($10.50)

"Japanese rice topped with cuts of crispy deep-fried pork cutlet and a generous portion of eggs and onion, omelette style. They've got the consistency of the eggs just about right, firm yet moist. There's excess gravy from the eggs to slurp up the rice! For such an affordable price, this is quality Japanese food."

Matcha Ice-cream with Azuki ($4.50)

"This is a no-frills dessert. Matcha has always been best paired with the unique sweetness of the azuki paste, so no qualms about that. You can still distinguish the whole azuki beans in the midst."

Home made pudding ($2.50)

“It was amazing. It was smooth and had an almost melt in the mouth feel to it.

The caramel was sweet but not too sweet. It had an almost toasty taste to it. The best part about it is that it wasn't too heavy nor too rich a desert. The perfect way to end a hearty meal.”

Coffee jelly ($4.80)

“Everyone at the table was curious to see the scoop of vanilla ice cream, set atop a bowl of coffee-flavoured jelly, wobbling gently.

The combination of sweet vanilla with the coffee was just lovely, the two contrasting taste profiles complementing each other perfectly.

It was filling yet light at the same time - a delectable way of capping off a pleasurable dining experience.”

The AsiaOne Team paid for their own meal at this establishment.

Donguri
120 Adam Road
Singapore 289899
Tel: 6467 3968
Opens daily: 11:00am - 10:00pm

See more pictures of Donguri Family Restaurant dishes