If you love carbs and meat (or both!), here’s some good news: Japanese rice bowl chain Densetsu no Sutadon-ya is opening its doors this October 6 at Lot 10, Kuala Lumpur. 

Their specialty? The Stamina Don aka ‘Sutadon’ – a portmanteau of the words stamina and donburi (rice bowl dish) – each featuring protein-packed servings atop hearty portions of rice. 

Founded in Tokyo in 1971, Sutadon originated as a staff meal for what was originally a ramen restaurant. Thanks to its generous portions, the dish quickly became a hit amongst Japanese salarymen, outperforming the ramen dishes. It was so well received that the owner decided to focus on making Stamina Dons – and the rest, as they say, is history. 

Today, Densetsu no Sutadon-ya has 198 outlets across Japan, with the Kuala Lumpur branch being their first venture into Malaysia. As part of its expansion plans, diners can expect a menu of their most popular items in Japan, served alongside international favourites. 

N and I were fortunate to attend a tasting of some of their offerings ahead of their opening. Here’s how our experience went!

You immediately feel relaxed and welcome as soon as you step into the space, thanks to its elegant grey palette paired with ambient lighting and warm-toned furniture. Dozens of traditional Japanese-style lanterns hang from wooden beams on the ceiling, while a semi-open kitchen dominates a section of the restaurant, with glass windows where you can watch the chefs in action.

The menu is extensive, with pork being the highlight, alongside other proteins such as chicken, beef, and seafood. Aside from the Tokyo Stamina Meal (which we’ll get to shortly), they also carry items such as Stamina Curry, Fried Chicken, fried and grilled pork loin cutlets, and even Japanese risotto and eel. Orders are done via chit where you circle your preferences, so it feels like you’re really dining in a restaurant in Japan.

One does not come to a tasting and not have their specialty, so Tokyo Stamina Meal it is! You get to choose from three variants, namely the Standard (RM25 – small, RM29 – medium, RM39 – large), the Osaka Stamina which comes topped with the region’s specialty snack ie takoyaki, and the Hokkaido Stamina, which features ebi shrimp with garlic mayo. You then choose three side dishes and two sauces to go with the rice and meat. The meal also includes a bowl of miso soup.

We went for the Standard, with sides of miso okra, spicy jellyfish, and pickles, plus yakiniku sauce and tonkatsu sauce. The serving was substantial, featuring a steaming bowl of Japanese rice heaped with thinly sliced pork and onions doused in a special garlic soy sauce. The pork was excellent – fatty and soft but not overwhelmingly greasy. The taste was also accentuated by the sweet and savoury soy sauce, with onions adding texture and crunch.

I can see why it’s their best selling item: there’s just something very comforting about having large portions of rice with savoury meat.

 Next, we tried the Tokyo Stamina Karaage Curry (RM39), which saw huge chunks of juicy, boneless chicken atop rice and a Japanese curry sauce. Those who like mild, sweet curries will enjoy this – and the fried chicken is great too, with crispy skin and a strong hint of garlic.

Pork may be the star, but the unagi (grilled eel) did not disappoint either. I was genuinely surprised at the thickness of the slab of eel that sat atop the rice, its exterior shimmering with a sweet soy sauce glaze. The portion was good enough for two imo. Eel can also be difficult to get right as it tends to have a strong fishy taste, but Densetsu no Sutadon-ya‘s rendition was perfectly executed, the rich, fatty eel almost melting on the tongue without needing to chew much.

Last but not least, since we were aiming to try different proteins, we got a Tokyo Risotto Beef Sukiyaki (RM49). This was my top dish after the pork Stamina Don. The beef was thinly sliced and had a lovely texture, it was perfectly cooked and not gamey, and the sauce it was served with had a mellow, buttery aftertaste. The vegetables and onions balanced out the flavours with their natural sweetness.

As part of their opening, Sutadon-ya will be having a special promotion from 6 to 8 October 2023, where their Tokyo Stamina Rice Bowls will go for just RM3 instead of the usual RM29, limited to 500 servings per day. During the promotion period, only the Tokyo Stamina Rice will be served, with the full menu available starting from 9 October.

Overall, we enjoyed everything we ordered at Sutadon-ya, and would love to return for lunch or dinner someday. The food is delicious, the prices are reasonable for the portions and quality you’re getting, and service is impeccable, albeit a little slow during our visit since they were still ironing out kinks. But the wait was worth it!

Densatsu no Sutadon-Ya

J’s Gate Dining, Level 4, Lot 10, 50 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur.

www.instagram.com/sutadonya_malaysia

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PS2: I was invited to try the food here in exchange for an honest review. Views here are my own and are based on my personal experience. They are not meant to endorse or disparage businesses in any way.