Review: Ajinomoto - Yakiniku Don

Ajinomoto's Yakiniku Don features BBQ-seasoned beef with vegetables over a bed of sticky rice.

An 11.29-oz box cost me $3 on sale (they're normally $4.49).

In case you're wondering, a yakiniku don is basically a barbecue meat (in this case, beef) rice bowl.

The beef actually tasted somewhat like it had actually been cooked on a grill. There was actually a bit of char to some pieces. There's also some fatty bits to the fairly tender meat that might be off-putting to some but reminds me of Yoshinoya. There wasn't an abundant amount of it to go around--just barely enough to finish the rice (with the help of the sauce).

The soy sauce-based sauce was neither too thick nor too thin and hit a nice balance of sweet and savory with just a bit of heat from Tabasco sauce and some extra depth from miso paste. There was a surprising complexity compared to teriyaki sauce.

The vegetables consisted of a combination onion, green beans, and carrot. They were a little flavorless but added texture.

The rice turned out really nice. It was firm with distinct grains that was still cooked through. In my experience, rice in meals tend to be rather wet--either due to the rice itself or the sauce that it's served with. Just like if you were actually cooking rice, the rice at the edge of the bowl were just a little dry.

Taken altogether, I really enjoyed Ajinomoto's Yakiniku Don for the grill-quality of the meat, the flavor and balance of the sauce, and the way the rice turned out.

Nutritional Info - Ajinomoto Yakiniku Don (320g)
Calories - 650 (from Fat - 260)
Fat - 29g (Saturated Fat - 12g)
Sodium - 1150mg
Carbs - 77g (Sugar - 8g)
Protein - 20g