Hello everyone! It’s been a hectic month of September for us, as teachers (yes, we are full-time teachers, too!) because of parent-teacher conferences and preparing for our lessons at the same time. Good thing September is about to end and we finally have enough time to squeeze in some blogging of our past EATSperiences over the month of September. In this edition of EATSplorations, we will be sharing our Buns and Bowls at Don Bao in Kapitolyo, Pasig EATSperience. Yes, it’s Don for Donburi and Bao for those Chinese fluffy steamed buns. Don Bao specializes in the fusion of Asian and Western flavors and putting them in either a rice bowl or a steamed or fried bun. We were pretty excited to try Don Bao out because we love Asian food and it’s really something that we eat regularly. If you love buns and bowls, keep on reading because Don Bao might be an interesting place to take friends and loved ones in your next food trip!
Welcome to Don Bao – Japanese Bowls + Buns!
Located behind Pioneer Center, Don Bao is just a few steps across the street. With parking spaces in front and behind the restaurant, parking should be easy. As we made our way inside, the ninjas painted on the wall made our little one smile. It instantly gave us a casual-dining vibe. With its simple furnitures and interior, diners may enjoy their dons and baos without feeling intimidated.
Ready to EAT some Buns and Bowls? Let’s GO!
Some Appetizers to kick things off!
(House-made Potato Chips with Shredded Kani and Special Cheese Sauce)
Php 180
Php 150
Appetizers are there to kickstart a meal. It is a play between easing one’s hunger yet not making one’s tummy full. In our case, we had 2 appetizers, and our favorite was the Kani Nachos. We loved how they used thin potato chips instead of nachos. As it was easy for us to eat and munch on it while waiting for the other dishes. The gyoza on the other hand, was pretty tasty too.
Say hello to the Baos!
(Kani in Eel Sauce, Japanese Mayo, Tempura Flakes, Tobiko, and Spring Onions)
Php 120
(Gyuniku, Cheese Sauce, Onion Rings, and Spring Onions)
Php 120
(Pork Katsu, Teriyaki Sauce, Japanese Mayo, Cabbage, and Nori)
Php 120
(Gyuniku, Scrambled Egg, Garlic Mayonnaise, Cornflakes, and Tobiko)
Php 120
All the baos had great combination of taste and texture. Each bao had its own distinct creaminess and crunch to complement the well-cooked meat. All four baos were pretty good and worth a try but our Top 2 baos are the Crazy Bao (bestseller) because we love anything kani and tempura. And the Piggy Bao Ride because the pork katsu was thick, juicy, tender, and really delicious. A close third would be the Good Morning, Bao! because the gyuniku was melt-in-your-mouth goodness and the use of cornflakes for some crunch and sweetness was genius. If you are into cheesy food, you will definitely love the Cheesy Bao. TIP: When you dine at Don Bao, they have an ongoing promo where you can choose two baos for only 200 pesos.
Moving on to the Dons!
(Kani and Shrimp Rice Bowl with Special Tendon Sauce)
Php 280
Php 270
Php 230
Php 260
After having their soft and fluffy baos, we were excited to get a taste of their Dons. We got to try 4 different Dons and our favorites were the Special Tendon and the Buta Sisig Don. We are such huge fans of kani and shrimp tempura and Don Bao’s version is a must-try. Huge pieces of tempura topped with their cheesy sauce and their tasty tendon sauce. And the Buta Sisig Don is their creative take on Filipino and Japanese fusion, which worked really well for us. We loved the crispy cook on the sisig and the combination of the Japanese mayo and tendon sauce. Third on the list would be the Crispy Chicken Don. Juicy and tender chicken with Don Bao’s special sauce. And if you love Japanese curry, the Katsu Curry Don is a good pick.
Fried Baos for DESSERT!
Php 95
Php 95
Php 95
Baos, baos and more baos! Our top pick for their dessert bao is the Fried Bao with Milo and Condensed milk. Fried bao is already something good and covering it with Milo powder is a genius. Our second pick is the Fried Bao with ice cream and Salted Caramel. Perfect combination of warm and cold. And if you are a fan of Smores, their Fried Bao with Nutella Smores is a must-try.
We definitely had a bao-rrific EATSperience! All the items that we tried did not disappoint. A second visit is must to this Japanese eatery because it surely has a lot to offer. So if you are planning on your next food trip with your family or with your friends, try Don Bao and get a hold of the variety of baos and dons that they have. That’s it for this edition of EATSplorations. Until next time!
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Don Bao
Victoria Plaza,1 Brixton Street, Kapitolyo, Pasig City
+63998 863 8671
Operating Hours:
11:00am to 12:00mn (Mon-Sun)
Budget: 500 php for two
EATSplorations 