Monday PH: Donki Unagi Sushi + Ebi Maki + Chawanmushi ($21.30)!
Don Don Donki public holiday lunch: unagi sushi tray, ebi fry maki rolls, and chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) bowls. $21.30.
Monday public holiday treat. Don Don Donki haul: unagi sushi + ebi maki + chawanmushi, $21.30. πππΌ
What was in the boxes:
- Tray of unagi sushi: 8-10 pieces of glazed eel nigiri / unagi rolls, sesame seed scatter on top, the unagi sauce (sweet soy reduction) lacquering the top of each piece
- Tray of ebi fry maki rolls: 6 pieces of deep-fried breaded prawn (ebi fry) wrapped inside the maki sushi with rice and seaweed
- Two bowls of chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard): pale yellow surface, sliced shiitake mushroom + naruto fish cake (pink swirl) toppings visible
- Side wasabi packet in the green plastic dispenser
- The classic Donki ready-to-eat sushi pickup format
Don Don Donkiβs ready-to-eat sushi counter is a Singapore food-shopping staple. The sushi gets prepared in-store throughout the day, displayed in chilled cases, and rotated for freshness. Prices typically come in 30-50% below sit-down sushi restaurant prices for comparable items.
The two sushi picks here represent two ends of the Donki sushi spectrum:
Unagi sushi (the premium pick):
- Grilled freshwater eel marinated and glazed with the sweet unagi tare sauce
- Made nigiri-style with rice on the bottom, eel on top, sometimes a nori band
- Premium tier ingredient: even at Donki prices, unagi sushi is one of the more expensive picks per piece
- Singapore price for unagi nigiri at restaurants runs $3-$6 per piece; Donki version is much cheaper per piece
Ebi fry maki (the safer pick):
- Maki-style roll with sushi rice, nori, fillings
- Deep-fried breaded prawn (ebi fry) as the headline filling
- Salad or pickled vegetables in the roll for crunch
- Kid-friendly: no raw fish, fried protein, sweet sauce option
Chawanmushi (θΆη’θΈ) is the Japanese steamed savoury egg custard:
- Eggs + dashi stock + soy + mirin as the base
- Steamed gently to a silky-smooth set, never overcooked
- Toppings: usually shiitake mushroom, chicken bits, naruto fish cake, sometimes prawn or ginkgo nut
- Served warm in small lidded cups or bowls: the textural contrast to the more substantial sushi
The public holiday lunch reset is the trick to weekday-equivalents that donβt require a sit-down restaurant decision. Pick up from Donki, walk home, eat on the dining table, no service charge, no waiting.
At $21.30 for two trays of sushi + two chawanmushi + presumably the wasabi pack, this is fair value for the spread. Sit-down equivalent would be $35-$50 at most Singapore Japanese restaurants.
Overall: 4.2 / 5. πππΌ Solid Donki PH lunch. The unagi sushi was the standout pick. Would re-buy.
