DonDon is located walking distance from Yonge and Dundas. A great location!
I decided to try this Izakaya after reading mixed reviews, I do agree this is a hit or miss with the dishes. The prices are fair and comparable to other Japanese restaurants.
Ordered the following:
* Pork Kimchi Udon (9.50$)
* Duck and Apple Salad (8.90$)
* Pickled Fish and Veggies (6.50$)
* Smoky Hay Sashimi (Salmon) (12.50$)
* Bamboo Squid (7.80$)
* Fwat Fwat Pork (9.00$)
* Today's Chirashi Rice (8.50$)
The most amazing dish was the Pork Kimchi Udon it had the best flavour combination. The pork was tender and moist - not dry at all. I wanted to order another plate of this - it's perfect for sharing between two or for one because it's just that good.
The Fwat Fwat Pork was not impressive - the pork was dry and lacked flavour. There was too much sauce and lacked depth in a dish that could be amazing.
Pickled Fish and Veggies had weird texture - most of the veggies were onions and a couple of carrots. I would not recommend this at all!
Smoky Hay Sashimi (Salmon), I thought this was an interesting concept so I tried it out and how much do I regret this? It was just a strange taste and would have opted for the Sashimi Platter.
Duck and Apple Salad was a good portion, definitely shareable and tasted OK. Nothing impressive but the duck was perfectly cooked and had good texture. I do prefer the salads at Fin Izakaya a lot more though, since they have options of choosing which dressing.
Overall, the restaurant was clean and service was super friendly and enthusiastic. The food was 3/5 stars due to the hit and miss of the dishes. I wouldn't mind coming back for that Udon though when in the area though. I do recommend making reservations as it gets busy during dinner hours. Happy eating!