Donburi King

Donburi King
10 Paya Lebar Road
#03-26 Paya Lebar Quarter

https://www.facebook.com/DonburiKingSG/

Meal Flat Lay

Quality Japanese Rice Bowls

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 6
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 7
Value for Money: 7
Spent about SGD $28 per person.


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Opening in November 2019, Donburi King is a cozy, casual eatery specialising in... what else? Japanese rice bowls. They offer a good range of variety on their menu, and seafood is air-flown in from Japan, the result of which is good quality rice bowls whose ingredients stand-out because of the freshness.

Ambience at Donburi King is cozy and intimate. The small place sits less than 20 people, with the majority of the space occupied by a large counter, over which you can watch the chef at work. The warm lights, sturdy wooden furnishings, and Japanese decor complete the look.

Service at Donburi King is efficient but transactional. There's some interaction from staff, but the menu is fairly clear, negating the need for deep product knowledge, though staff can answer simple questions. They're quick to greet and seat guests, and clean up quickly when diners leave.

Food at Donburi King is Japanese cuisine, focused on rice bowls. Ingredients are fresh and tasty, resulting in quality of most dishes being pretty good. The menu has good variety, so repeat visits are worthwhile. Portions are large for individuals. Prices are reasonable and affordable, budget about SGD $28 per person.


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Donburi King Exterior

Donburi King Interior

A straightforward mug of Green Tea Hot (SGD $1.50), earthy and calming. It's refillable, and the mug itself holds a fairly large portion of green tea.

Green Tea Hot (SGD $1.50)

The Sake Kiku-Masamune Junmai Taru (SGD $23) an authentic dry sake, matured in the barrels made of the finest Yoshino cedar wood, brewed by the Kiku-Masamune Sake Brewing Co. Ltd., in Higashinada, Kobe, in the Hyogo prefecture of Japan. It has a clear transparent colour, with aromas and tastes of spring water, cedar wood, white rice, and banana chip. Has a bright woody sweet spice smoky flavour, clean-tasting and fresh, with a refreshingly dry finish. It helps to clear the palate, and pairs especially well with full-bodied dishes with rich or spicy flavours.

Sake Kiku-Masamune Junmai Taru (SGD $23)

Sake Kiku-Masamune Junmai Taru

The Sashimi Salmon Belly (SGD $15) features 5 thickly sliced pieces of salmon fish belly sashimi. Succulent with a tender chew and bright sweet savoury oily flavour, you can taste the freshness here. Highly recommended!

Sashimi Salmon Belly (SGD $15)

Sashimi Salmon Belly

The Sashimi Tuna Belly (SGD $33) features 5 thickly sliced pieces of tuna fish belly sashimi. Succulent with a tender chew and bright savoury sweet fatty flavour, you can taste the freshness here. Highly recommended!

Sashimi Tuna Belly (SGD $33)

Sashimi Tuna Belly

The Sashimi Salmon Loin (SGD $10) features 5 thickly sliced pieces of salmon fish loin sashimi. Bouncy with a tender chew and bright sweet savoury flavour, so clean-tasting and fresh. Good!

Sashimi Salmon Loin (SGD $10)

Sashimi Salmon Loin

The Sashimi Tuna Loin (SGD $12) features 5 thickly sliced pieces of tuna fish loin sashimi. Dense with a meaty chew and bright savoury sweet flavour, so yummy and fresh. Good!

Sashimi Tuna Loin (SGD $12)

Sashimi Tuna Loin

Admittedly, the Sashimi Boiled Squid (SGD $4.90) is actually rather good. The parboiled squid chunks are served chilled, and have a bouncy crunchy texture with clean-tasting sweet flavour. Can't call it sashimi though, as it isn't raw. Dip it into the light soy sauce for added depth of salty savoury notes. Worth ordering!

Sashimi Boiled Squid (SGD $4.90)

Sashimi Boiled Squid

By contrast, I felt the Sashimi Boiled Octopus (SGD $4.90) was only decent. The parboiled octopus chunks are served chilled, and have a slippery crunchy texture with muted sweet savoury flavour. Can't call it sashimi though, as it isn't raw. It seems to lack the fresh edge of the ingredient. Could be improved.

Sashimi Boiled Octopus (SGD $4.90)

Sashimi Boiled Octopus

The Gyoza (SGD $4.90) was underwhelming. While the exterior of the gyoza dumplings were nicely crisp, the interior minced chicken filling was rather lacking, though it held decent salty sweet flavour. A by-the-way side dish if you're still hungry. Could be improved.

Gyoza (SGD $4.90)

Gyoza

Served with orders of set meals, the Miso Soup (SGD $Part Of Set Meal) is pretty good. The thin hazy miso soup holds robust earthy savoury salty flavour. Garnished with wispy seaweed and soft silken tofu beancurd, which lends earthy grainy sweet notes. Good!

Miso Soup (SGD $Part Of Set Meal)

Miso Soup

Served with orders of set meals, the Dashi Soup (SGD $Part Of Set Meal) is so zen. The thin clear dashi soup holds bold earthy herbal sweet flavour. Garnished with wispy seaweed and soft silken tofu beancurd, which lends earthy grainy sweet notes. Good!

Dashi Soup (SGD $Part Of Set Meal)

The Baku Baku Chicken Katsu Don (SGD $16.80) has a base of sticky fluffy seasoned white rice, topped with battered chicken cutlet katsu, coated with silky egg and soft caramelised white onions. With robust savoury salty sweet flavours, the chicken is tender with a light chew. Pretty alright donburi / rice bowl. Worth ordering!

Baku Baku Chicken Katsu Don (SGD $16.80)

Baku Baku Chicken Katsu Don

Was disappointed with the Iberico Pork Tonkatsu Don (SGD $18). The main issue is the overly tough and chewy battered Iberico pork cutlet tonkatsu, a clear sign of the use of frozen meat. With overly salty savoury flavours, I also found it difficult to chew through the meat. The donburi / rice bowl base of sticky fluffy seasoned white rice coated with silky egg and soft caramelised white onions couldn't save this. Could be improved.

Iberico Pork Tonkatsu Don (SGD $18)

Iberico Pork Tonkatsu Don

The Pork Cheek Meat Don (SGD $22.80) has a base of sticky fluffy seasoned white rice, topped with medium sized cuts of pork cheek / jowl meat, completed with a semi-runny onsen egg which lent eggy sweet flavour, and crisp lettuce with bright vegetal sweet flavour. The pork cheek / jowl is succulent with an alternating crunchy tender bite, and has good savoury salty sweet flavour. Nicely satisfying donburi / rice bowl. Good!

Pork Cheek Meat Don (SGD $22.80)

Pork Cheek Meat Don

The Whole Unagi Don (SGD $25) has a base of sticky fluffy seasoned white rice, topped with a whole grilled unagi / freshwater eel marinated in sticky teriyaki sauce, completed with crisp lettuce and tender tamago / rolled egg omelette. The unagi / freshwater eel has light smoky notes with bold sweet savoury salty flavour, while the lettuce contrasts with bright vegetal sweet notes and the egg holds mild eggy sweet flavour. While the crisp raw alfalfa sprouts has sharp vegetal bitter herbal flavour (I set it aside), the crunchy pickled daikon radish is nicely sour sweet in taste. A filling donburi / rice bowl. I love how the sauce flavours the rice too. Good!

Whole Unagi Don (SGD $25)

Whole Unagi Don

The luxurious Maguro Otoro Don (SGD $35.50) is a delicious donburi / rice bowl, and well worth the money. Over the base of sticky fluffy seasoned white rice is topped generous slices of thick cut maguro otoro / tuna fish belly, which is succulent and meaty dense with a tender chew, holding decadent fatty savoury sweet meaty flavour. Almost melts away in the mouth! Sitting on top is soft negitoro / minced tuna fish, with delicate savoury sweet notes. Slices of soft avocado and juicy cucumber with vegetal sweet flavour, crunchy pickled daikon radish with sour sweet flavour, and tender tamago / rolled egg omelette with mild eggy sweet flavour, completes this dish. Incredibly good. Highly recommended!

Maguro Otoro Don (SGD $35.50)

Maguro Otoro Don

Maguro Otoro Don

Maguro Otoro Don

Slices of Maguro Otoro / Tuna Fish Belly

The premium Shake Harasu Don (SGD $23) is a delicious donburi / rice bowl, and well worth the money. Over the base of sticky fluffy seasoned white rice is topped generous slices of thick cut shake harasu / salmon fish belly, lightly aburi / torched, which is succulent and meaty pliant with a tender chew, holding rich oily sweet savoury smoky flavour. Bold burst of taste in the mouth! Sitting on top is juicy globules of ikura / salmon fish roe caviar and tobiko / flying fish roe caviar, with bright briny salty sweet notes. Slices of juicy cucumber with vegetal sweet flavour, crunchy pickled daikon radish with sour sweet flavour, and tender tamago / rolled egg omelette with mild eggy sweet flavour, completes this dish. Incredibly good. Highly recommended!

Shake Harasu Don (SGD $23)

Shake Harasu Don

Shake Harasu Don

Shake Harasu Don

Slices Of Shake Harasu / Salmon Fish Belly

Loved every bite of the Chirashi Don (SGD $23.80), a premium donburi / rice bowl, and well worth the money. Over the base of sticky fluffy seasoned white rice is topped generous thick-cut chunks of fresh sashimi, including salmon fish loin, tuna fish loin, swordfish belly, and octopus. These have bright sweet savoury flavour with a tender succulent moist chew to texture, in particular, the swordfish belly was outstanding. Sitting on top is juicy globules of tobiko / flying fish roe caviar with bright briny salty sweet notes, alongside soft negitoro / minced tuna fish with delicate savoury sweet notes. Slices of juicy cucumber with vegetal sweet flavour, and tender tamago / rolled egg omelette with mild eggy sweet flavour, completes this dish. Feels so luxurious, and is completely yummy and filling. Highly recommended!

Chirashi Don (SGD $23.80)

Chirashi Don

Chirashi Don

Chirashi Don

Chunks Of Sashimi

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Update Jun-2021: It's the middle of the tightened restrictions in Singapore during this time, and we decided to see how Donburi King fares in terms of takeaway orders. Turns out they still maintain good standards!

The Chirashi Don (SGD $23.80), Miso Soup (SGD $Part Of Set Meal), and Tamago Yaki (SGD $3) still looks presentable and appealing even after delivery. Portion size remains as before, and it's just as delicious as I'd remembered. Excellent, will order again!

Chirashi Don (SGD $23.80)

Miso Soup (SGD $Part Of Set Meal)

Tamago Yaki (SGD $3)

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Update Mar-2022: Donburi King has really grown on me, and I daresay it's my favourite casual Japanese dining place to get fresh, quality sashimi. Have since returned to Donburi King several times, and I will continue to support them!

Loved the Sashimi Mix 3 Kinds (SGD $20), mainly because each of the 3 kinds of fish are so fresh and clean-tasting, thickly sliced in generous portions that allow for a tender chew to texture, succulent and juicy in the mouth. The Salmon Fish Loin Sashimi is bright orange and beautifully sweet savoury, the Tuna Fish Loin Sashimi is bright red and delightfully savoury sweet, and the Swordfish Loin Sashimi is bright white and addictively meaty sweet savoury in flavour. Served with crunchy pickled ginger with vegetal herbal sweet spice flavour, a juicy wedge of lemon for a zesty tangy sour kick, and a dollop of grainy wasabi for an earthy spicy kick. Highly recommended!

Sashimi Mix 3 Kinds (SGD $20)

Salmon Fish Loin Sashimi

Tuna Fish Loin Sashimi

Swordfish Loin Sashimi

Sashimi Mix 3 Kinds

Particularly taken with the Aburi Mekajiki Belly Don (SGD $19.80), which is a donburi / rice bowl that features a base of sticky fluffy seasoned white rice, overlaid with thick yet tender slices of lightly torched swordfish belly, juicy and succulent with a light chew. Completed with soft minced tuna fish, tender rolled egg omelette, juicy cucumber, crunchy pickled ginger, crisp spring onions, and juicy globules of flying fish roe caviar. Each mouthful is a pleasing burst of smoky sweet savoury vegetal eggy meaty salty briny sour flavours, so good. Highly recommended!

Aburi Mekajiki Belly Don (SGD $19.80)

Aburi Mekajiki Belly Don

Aburi Mekajiki Belly Don

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