Don

Located at 423 Tate Street, Don serves Japanese appetizers, rice and noodle dishes. A limited selection of alcoholic beverages is available.

Japanese cuisine and sushi are synonymous in the imagination of the American public. As such, Japanese restaurants that don’t serve sushi are easy to overlook. However, Don convincingly makes the case that there’s more to savor than sashimi and specialty rolls.

Food at Don comes in a few different categories. In addition to the familiar ramen, there’s ishiyaki (sizzling rice bowls), yakisoba (thin fried noodles) and udon (thicker noodles in a stir fry or soup), each with different combinations of toppings. I’ve had the best luck with the ishiyaki, my favorites being shrimp, red snapper and katsu pork. Each is served sizzling hot, meaning you’ll have to do some stirring if you don’t want anything to burn. A selection of optional sauces allows you to season each dish to your liking and the complimentary miso is flavorful and not too salty.

Other dishes are hit-and-miss. Steamed gyoza are decent, but you can get better down the street. The chicken yakisoba is satisfactorily crunchy and has a good balance of flavors, though the serving size is small. Shoyu (soy) ramen was salty but otherwise bland.

Don’s interior is comfortable, modern and clean. Colorful paper lamps and decorative Japanese wall accent an otherwise dark space. There’s bar seating, though you shouldn’t have any problem getting a table here. Don is rarely ever crowded and service doesn’t lag.

Prices at Don are very reasonable. All entrees run under $10 and appetizers are generally in the $3 to $6 range. You can easily get a filling meal here without breaking the bank.

Don is no Sushi Republic – neither the caliber of cuisine nor the expense are comparable – but it’s a great option for diners who don’t need an expansive menu to enjoy a satisfying meal.

7.5/10