Donburi kitchen and sushi bar, “Don Eatery” by Mario Haddad Junior has been open in Restos St. Nicolas since the start of this restaurant cluster. At Don Eatery, you’ll have the chance to enjoy a wide array to of Asian specialties: sushi, rice, donburi, ramen, noodles, and poke. Donburi is a Japanese "rice bowl dish" consisting of fish, meat, vegetables or other ingredients simmered together and served over rice.
I loved the music, the sizzling sounds of food being prepared a-la-minute, the chefs working in the open-kitchen and the simple decor. I was here to try it all!
Amazing food is served at Don Eatery! Redefining the meaning of Asian food in Lebanon, I felt an internal feeling of happiness of joy I rarely experienced at a restaurant.
I ordered eight choices, more than two persons could eat and enjoyed every single one of them as if the place is specialized in the item itself only. Let’s start my journey of enjoyment...
Look at the details first: the main dining table has forks, spoons and chopsticks for you to serve yourself. Serving bowls are enormous! Serve yourself from the fridge of endless choices to drink. Look up at the wooden boxes coming down from the ceiling.
Food I’ll recommend to all my friends:
- Baos, three of them, the best Bao buns in Lebanon, super sticky like they should be, stuffed with crispy fried shrimp and a sweet, creamy, spicy sauce. I wanted to have a bite only, but couldn't stop.
- Sushi: the "Le Sushi bar" quality of rolled Makis, adequately sticky, non-soggy, non-watery but simple and classy.
- The chicken sesame noodles are awesome! Thick noodles with a firm feel without being overlooked and sticky.
- Best of the best is the crispy salmon poke, on a bed of shredded crab sticks: best of all, every cube of salmon is carefully wrapped with crispy crisps and marinated in the signature miso sauce — no rice for this one, only seafood.
- Beef satay don: rice topped with beef skewers, pickled daikon, button mushrooms, spinach, radish, coriander, and peanut satay sauce. A loaded portion of rice, four skewers of beef and several colorful sides are a fulfilling meal.
- Now the ramen: did I tell you that I travel for ramen? And yes, these are awesome! A big bowl of soup with ramen noodles, pork chashu in a rich chicken broth. Fungus mushrooms, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, spinach and green onions topped with boiled marinated eggs, naruto and nori. It's so good! Every ingredient adds value to creating a unique bowl you’ll feel like licking your lips afterward. I loved the flavors, the quality of ingredients, the consistency and taste of the egg and the portion size.
I can tell you that I left amazed; the poke, the ramen, the portion sizes, the value for money... 10/10. Bravo guys for creating Asian street food perfection in Beirut.
