While visiting in the Downtown Long Beach Area, I was searching to have some Japanese food and came across Donburi Cafe with around 400 ish reviews and four stars. In the mood for a rice bowl after consuming so many soup-based meals recently, I set out to give them a try. I did not expect much at first, but I was pleasantly surprised.
I came in on a Saturday at 12PM sharp to see only staff in the restaurant. Though as my time elapsed, more people came in (families in particular) to dine in and take out. The restaurant did seem quite small upon first impression as most of the tables inside were for one to two people only. Fortunately, Donburi Cafe has its own patio in front with a variety of larger tables. The overall vibe of the place seemed to be warm and cozy which was particularly great. I then proceeded up to the counter and took a look at their menu. It mainly consisted of japanese rice bowls, but had other selection of items such as ramen, udon, and other smaller appetizer items such as gyozas and karaage. After taking a look, I proceeded to order a regular Katsu Don which cost $14.50 before tax. Once done paying, I took a seat and my food came out to me within 5-10 minutes.
The lady manning the cashier was very kind and always had a warm smile on her face from ordering to serving my food and more which made me feel comfortable and welcomed in the restaurant. Restaurants often forget that great customer service can make the experience 10x better. And at the end of the day, everyone wants to be treated like they belong. Props to the lady working the front!
Taking a look at the food at first glance, I was not entirely convinced the price-to-portion ratio was good at all. From what I saw, the bowl had about 6 pieces of pork katsu, a cooked egg on top, a small side of vegetables (broccoli, potato, and carrot), and rice. But after examining in more depth, there seemed to be more than met my eye. Each piece of pork was very large and ended up being very filling. On top of that, the single egg that was given turned out to be breakable, which allowed the katsu to be coated with a thick yolk which made the meat even more filling. Underneath the pork had some caramelized onions which were a nice addition, and bottom of the bowl had a large serving of rice which was needed, especially with the large pieces of katsu. Finally in addition to the Katsu Donburi, the meal also came with an small bowl of Miso Soup which was also nice to have with the meal. After looking through the contents in more depth, I'd say the price-to-portion ratio was pretty good, especially for the price tag of $14.50 in the Long Beach area. I would have enjoyed having one or two more pieces of katsu, but the amount given was more than fair.
The taste is definitely where the dish shines though. The miso soup was quite delicious with a good ratio of miso powder to broth. It was served warm and had a fair amount of ingredients inside such as green onions and tofu. Moving on, the rice at the bottom was fluffy, fresh, and neutral which helped balance all of the items in the bowl. Next, the katsu itself was moist, which contrasts greatly from most katsu dishes you come across. The meat wasn't spongy, but wasn't chewy either which meant it had a good balance of consistency. The panko coating was light, which gave a light fried taste. But because it was muted, the dish did not feel heavy and gave the meat a chance to shine. The egg was creamy and heightened the flavor of the katsu which gave it multiple dimensions that the meat alone wouldn't have otherwise had. The caramelized onions were particularly good as well as they were lightly sweet which added a different flavor to the mostly savory items in the bowl. The only issue I had were the vegetables since all three of them just tasted like your typical boiled vegetables. But because a vegetable medley like this isn't typically isn't served in a donburi dish, I wasn't particularly focused on it.
From the great service to the great food all at a decent price tag, I argue Donburi Cafe deserves a 4 star rating! Everything was exactly how I'd want my dine-in experience to go. The food quality was definitely at a four star rating. If the portion was a tad bit larger, this would easily be a 5 star rating. Besides that, I have no other comments for improvement as the experience was overall great. If looking for a QSR or a sit down japanese place that is casual, tasty, and welcoming, I'd suggest giving these guys a go! Great job all around Donburi Cafe! read more