01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Just west of Keihan Yodo Station, Donryu draws diners in with substantial set meals and combinations anchored by mains that arrive flanked by side portions of deep-fried gyoza and Japanese fried chicken (karaage). Rounding out bowls of noodles or rice with crisp fried sides makes this neighborhood Chinese diner a dependable option for anyone seeking a hearty lunch or dinner.
Among the standout favorites is the tenshinhan and mini ramen set. The tenshinhan features an omelet on rice draped in a subtly savory, lightly sweetened soy-based sauce, served alongside a nostalgic, straightforward soy-sauce-broth mini ramen. Accompanied by fried gyoza and karaage, it offers a thoroughly satisfying cycle of grains and crisp fried bites. For those craving noodles as the centerpiece, the gomoku noodle and rice set pairs rice, fried sides, and pickles with a choice of either salt-broth tanmen or soy-broth champon. The tanmen comes loaded with vegetables, offering a gentle, nutrient-rich broth that pairs naturally with a bowl of steamed rice.
The set meals are equally generous, most notably the sweet and sour pork set, which features substantial cuts of pork alongside happosai (stir-fried mixed vegetables and meat), karaage, fried gyoza, soup, and rice. Other options let diners center their meal around their favorite stir-fry, such as the yakisoba set meal with aromatic pan-fried noodles, rice, and fried sides, or the happosai set meal with its lighter, cleaner seasoning.
The à la carte menu includes house-made Donryu gyoza, priced at 300 yen for 6 pieces, making an easy addition to a meal or an accompaniment to draft beer, bottled beer, Shaoxing wine, or a highball. With cold appetizers like bang bang chicken and roast pork, through to sweet sesame dumplings for dessert, the menu adapts just as comfortably to solo diners as it does to casual gatherings.
Donryu operates from 11:00 to 14:30 for lunch and from 16:00 to 21:00 in the evening, with Thursdays off. Payment is cash only, so it is best to have Japanese yen on hand before taking a seat.
