Dig into Smoky Japanese Claypot Rice at Donabe
Claypot rice is a classic that will trigger many nostalgic flashbacks for many Singaporeans with its distinct smokiness and sinfully enjoyable crackling debris. Now, put a Japanese twist on it and you have Donabe, one of the few places that specialise in Japanese-style claypot rice.
Tucked away in Paya Lebar Quarter amongst a slew of great food options, this newcomer is an inconspicuous Japanese restaurant that doesn’t really stand out much.
However, besides Donabe’s stripped-down wooden skeleton, the space is also peppered with soft toys and even a claw machine right by the entrance — a rather unique Singaporean-tinged arrayment for a Japanese restaurant.
Simple Hearty Flavours
Fried bar bites are usually one of the most popular orders at any Japanese joint and, unsurprisingly, the Saba Age ($12) was a crackling delight like we expected.
Donabe’s fried fish snack is rather different from your typical Chicken Karaage, with delectably crispy mackerel pieces to be dunked in a moreish spicy sesame sauce that may top any salted egg and crispy fish skin combo.
Seafood and umami lovers will be comforted by the depth of seafood robustness in Donabe’s Kaisen Claypot Rice ($28), a gratifying motley of Sakura Ebi, Sea Prawn, crispy salmon skin, loaded with dry scallop flavour.
Texturally interesting, while packing a punch in terms of flavour but it does get a bit too strong and maybe Ikura would have provided more diversity in terms of roe texture than shrimp roe. Overall, you can’t beat the depth of seafood richness with a touch of smoke within the starchy rice mound.
Exquisite Layering
Vegetarian options are often maligned but Donabe’s Kinoko ($24) is a textbook example of meatless done right. Every facet of the dish worked in harmony, as the earthiness of the mushroom and salinity of the seaweed were perfectly slicked in the velvety throes of the onsen egg.
Contrary to the notion of meat’s importance in claypot rice, this fungi-filled vessel provided the most gratifying and most comforting blast of flavours of the night.
Pork has always been a key component of Japanese cuisine and Donabe jazzes it up in their Iberiko Buta ($28) that uses tender and juicy Iberico pork jowl which sported a nice char while not being too fatty.
The jury is still out on Donabe’s impressiveness as a Japanese claypot rice specialist, in a niche that isn’t widely explored in Singapore. Either way, this humble Japanese joint will blanket you in the comfort of claypot rice but with more Japanese elements.
Donabe Singapore
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- Address: 10 Paya Lebar Road Paya Lebar Quarter, Mall, #03-28/29, Singapore 409057
- Hours: (Mon–Sun) 11:30am–9:30pm
*This was an invited tasting.