Chirashi don, or scattered cubed raw fish on rice, is a perennial favourite among Singaporeans when it comes to Japanese food. Hungry sashimi fans scour restaurants for the best-value dons and we think we’ve found the best one yet. For a limited time only, Maguro Donya Miuramisakikou Sushi and Dining and Kuro Maguro eateries are offering S$9.90 maguro (tuna) rice bowls!
Both restaurants are affiliated with Misaki Megumi Suisan, a renowned maguro and fish wholesaler in Japan, of which trawlers operate around the port of Misaki in Kanagawa prefecture. They have the capabilities to catch the biggest maguro in the world and use meat culled from blue fins weighing a minimum of 280kg, with a good ratio of fat and lean meat. They use a “super freezing” technique that freezes the fish at -60°C once they are caught to ensure absolute freshness. The catch are then imported from Misaki to Singapore via air freight.
Kuro Maguro at Tanjong Pagar Centre.
While salmon is a popular sashimi choice in Southeast Asia, it is tuna that takes pride of place in Japan. Purist maguro fans will appreciate the two promotional items not found on the menu. They feature a good mix of akami (the lean and meaty, dark red parts) and otoro (the prized fattiest portion of the tuna). The Maguro Donya outlet at Suntec offers the Maguro Mountain Gunkan, which features otoro and akami, along with ikura (salmon roe) atop fragrant gunkan sushi.
Maguro Mountain Gunkan, available at Maguro Donya at Suntec City.
Meanwhile, the Kuro Maguro outlet at Tanjong Pagar Centre offers Mountain Meshi, a rice bowl filled to the brim with otoro, akami sashimi chunks and ikura. The fish was truly fresh and I enjoyed the minced otoro lying between the chunks and the rice, which I drizzled soy sauce over.
Mountain Meshi, available at Kuro Maguro outlet.
Do note that the S$9.90 deals are smaller portions than typical chirashi dons and not a complete meal in themselves, but they are outstanding value considering that otoro is usually a pricey cut. There’s a catch to all good fish though. Orders for the S$9.90 bowls are limited to 30 orders a day, and one order per person. You can get them at Maguro Donya at Suntec City and Kuro Maguro by MaguroDonya at Tanjong Pagar daily from now till 31 December 2017. (The promotion is not available at the new Kuro Maguro outlet at Changi Airport Terminal 2.)
MaguroDonya
Eat At Seven
3 Temasek Boulevard
#03-314 Suntec City Mall
Singapore 038983
Tel: +65 6684 5054
Opening hours: Daily 11.30am to 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 10.30pm
Kuro Maguro by MaguroDonya
Tanjong Pagar Centre
7 Wallich Street #01-04
Singapore 078884
Tel: +65 6386 8561
Opening hours: Mon to Sat – 11.30am to 2pm and 5.30pm to 10pm; Sun – 11.30am to 2.30pm and 5pm to 9pm
