Donburi DC

I first came to Donburi a few years ago with some friends to get some delicious Japanese curry.  Over the years, I frequented the place, but usually stuck to the curry and maybe got a side of karaage or gyoza. However, I was working in the office and wanted a filling yet light lunch and my eyes focused on what the restaurant is named for, donburi.

I’ve had donburis in the US as well as in Japan, so I knew what to expect. To describe it a bit, donburi is a Japanese “rice-bowl dish” and it often consists of proteins (a combination of fish, shrimp, eel, chicken beef or pork), vegetables, and other ingredients simmered together.  Then the dish is served over hot rice.  Leave your cold rice for another dish!  An interesting fact is that the unique overly large bowl you would have the meal served in at a restaurant is also called donburi. Anyhow, that’s some history on donburis and to me, the donburi is a great example of simple ingredients and process that makes a dish that’s oishii (tastes great)!

I got the Donburi Moriwase and I was truly in for a treat! It comes with fresh sliced salmon, grilled eel, tempura shrimp, and karaage!  Then you mix that all up with the rice, Japanese pickles, wasabi, and ginger and there is an amazing party occurring for your taste buds! The sweetness from the grilled eel, crunch from the karaage and tempura shrimp, kick of spice from the wasabi, acidity from the pickles, and fattiness of the melt-in-your-mouth salmon makes this a perfectly balanced lunch! The rice did a great job absorbing all the flavors and bringing the dish together.  So if you got to Donburi, make sure not to sleep on the Dons, save the curry for a cold day–summer time is donburi time! You won’t fall asleep at work after eating this, but instead you’ll feel energized and want to go for a nice walk haha.