Kodawari PH Beef Gyudon Honest Review
November 5, 2021
When asking people what their favorite food find was this pandemic, Kodawari seems to consistently top the list. So I was pretty excited to try this magical beef gyudon.
But first, some background. Kodawari was actually started by Jake Aycardo, who considers himself a gyudon scholar and philosopher. He is quick to exclaim the importance of ratios when cooking the perfect gyudon dish. In his words, the meat, sauce, and rice must all be perfectly balanced.
Looking at Kodawari’s two-item menu, which consists of Gyudon and Shroomdon (essentially gyudon’s meatless mushroom-based cousin), I suppose if it works, it works! Given how limited their menu is, and yet how consistently they’re sold out, something magical must be happening with these dishes.
Well, now I am wondering no more. Last Sunday, I finally ordered Kodawari’s Beef Gyudon full tray, made up of succulent and flavorful beef strips, 63-degree eggs with yolks that stay golden and runny, warm Japanese rice that absorbs all the beef’s juices, and finally, fried talbos ng kamote which Aycardo uses to pay homage to his Filipino origins, and to add a pop of color to his dish.
So, the question is – does it live up to the hype?
Surprisingly yes! This full tray is meant to feed 5-8 people, but it was gone in a jiffy. My whole family went back for seconds! The beef strips themselves are remarkably tender, the egg yolk stayed beautifully runny and was great to mix in with the rice, the rice itself was incredibly flavorful. You know how there are moments when you’re eating a “don,” but you’ve run out of meat and now all you’re left with is rice? Well, that’s definitely not a problem here. Thanks to Aycardo’s obsession with the perfect ratio composition, here every single bite is composed of just the right balance of beef, rice, and sauce (plus egg and fried talbos ng kamote, which adds a nice crunch!)
The only complaint? It’s a tad oily, so just beware of that.
But otherwise, this is a perfect pick-me-up dinner when you’re too lazy to cook out. Just make sure to order in advance because they can be fully booked!