Sashi Don at Don Don
Phone 03 9662 3377
This dish gets my vote as Melbourne’s most delightful looking bowl of food for under a tenner. In fact, the Sashi Don (salmon on rice) at Don Don is only $7.70. Uh huh…you read right…$7.70. But then you won’t find anything over $8.00 at this jazzy, “quick as you order you’ve got it” cheap eats joint.
A generous bowl of steamed rice is covered in pickled ginger, sliced abura-age (seasoned fried beancurd), shimaya shibazuke (purple pickled cucumber), tamago yaki (Japanese omelette), fresh salad mix and succulent slices of sashimi quality salmon, presented in a wonderful rosette.
One can not help but feel extremely virtuous tackling this bowl of healthy good-looking goodness.
Written by mellie on
January 29th, 2007 | Tags: cafes, Japanese, restaurants | Category: Uncategorized
| 
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
| Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL
February 4th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
what a wonderful and lovely photo!
Don Don is one of my favourite locals and I usually have this when I’m there. Such an elegant and healthy dish that belies the price and surroundings. I always leave feeling great when I eat this protein and flavour packed bowl!
And such fast service! You almost get your meal just as you’re ordering; some wonderful systems in place here
The best thing is to go by yourself, grab a seat and just soak up the atmosphere. The bluesey soundtrack, the grungey vibe - it’s Soho meets Shibuya with a hefty dose of Memphis.
Long live the Don!
February 5th, 2007 at 1:37 am
I can’t believe how well that picture turned out! It really is a beautiful dish.
I can also recommend the teriyaki don and sukiyaki don (teriyaki chicken and sukiyaki beef respectively)
February 5th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
Must agree with Anna, teriyaki don is also great.
Have tried the sukiyaki don once which I found not so good. Beef just didn’t taste nice.
Wonderful place, although I do find the shop too small and have to settle for somewhere else to sit down instead which is always disappointing.
February 6th, 2007 at 5:49 am
Hey EG (xx) - you are so on the money with your funky description. You’ve captured the essence of the place magnificently. I just love the jazzy soundtrack, the cramped seating, the quickstix service, the fabulously priced food. The place just rocks.
Hi Anna - it was good light, huh? But it is all in the subject and less in the photo taking ability on that one I’m afraid.
Hi there Anon - You should perhaps try the other Don Don at 340 Little Lonsdale St (only open on weekdays though). The seating is more spacious with the same cool soundtrack and great food.
February 9th, 2007 at 7:20 am
What a cute way to serve salmon! I like the sound of this dish - sounds disgustingly healthy but looks (and tastes, I’m sure!) great at the same time.
February 9th, 2007 at 11:21 am
i really HAVE to get to that place. I must walk past it several times each week!
February 11th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Hey Y - uh huh, isn’t it just gorgeous?!? And thankfully, it does taste as good as it looks.
Hiya Cin - certainly make an effort to try it out. Kitchen hand also recently visited the Don, and very much enjoyed it too.
February 12th, 2007 at 9:27 am
Dear Mel,
I am an Australian ceramicist and write a blog about carft and design (amongst other things!) This week I linked an entry to you regarding your fine and intrepid research on one of my favourite subjects FOOD. Thanks for the wonderful reading
Shannon Garson
http://www.shannongarson.com
February 12th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
Hi Shannon - thank you for the wonderful mention on your blog. I too get enthused by the thoughts and ramblings of others, especially when it concerns food!
BTW, you have some amazingly gorgeous pieces. I so love the fennel soup bowls. They’re absolutely beautiful!
February 15th, 2007 at 11:42 am
I love don don. Not only it’s cheap and tasty, the service is so fast. You receive your food even before you get your change.
February 15th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Hey there cherrie pie - it is amazing how loved this place is by so many people. I took some work colleagues the other day (six of us), and we were all served and seated within two minutes. They are fantastic!
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:23 pm
ciao mellie.
Your blog is so cool. Keep up the great work. it is a pleasure to read.
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:51 pm
Thanks for that Josh - glad you enjoy looking/reading it. And I’m looking forward to some updates on The Day of the Expanding Man too
*hint hint*
February 25th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
This is an absolutely stunning photo!
February 27th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Hi Kristen - thanks for the compliment! Seriously, it’s all in the subject matter. I just pointed the camera and shot
July 17th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Hi there,
sashi don is great. in fact, the fish they use in don don is actually ocean trout, not salmon
however, don’t think that it’s in any way inferior. good quality ocean trout has a very bright orange colour and it tastes sweet, the texture is also different from salmon. i can’t say whether ocean trout or salmon is better, they are just different.
by the way, there is another don don in south melbourne. the address is 5 bank street, south melbourne
check it out if you’re near by.
July 22nd, 2007 at 9:31 am
Hi yongtze - thanks for putting me straight :-
Is the don don in sth melbourne run the same people? Hmm..I will certainly have to check it out.
July 22nd, 2007 at 11:33 am
Hi mellie
yeah it is run by the same people and it’s a bit more spacious than the one on swanston st. and it has one new dish - curry udon
July 22nd, 2007 at 9:00 pm
Thanks for that yongtze! I was in at the Swanston St store on Saturday, had had their buckwheat soba salad. It was sooo good and super fresh. I am not so thrilled by some of their beef or chicken dishes though - I find them a little dry.
Have you been to the don don on Little Lonsdale St? It too is a lot more spacious and possibly a bit more upmarket. It’s called don don too.
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:34 pm
yeah i like soba salad too, especially in summer.
The one on little lonsdale st sometimes offers seared tuna sliced on salad served with rice for the same price as sashi don. you should try it.
July 24th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Oooh…you said the magic word - “seared tuna”. It is one of my favourites