This New Japanese Restaurant Is Making Gyudon Its Entire Personality

(SPOT.ph) It’s not entirely uncommon to find a Japanese restaurant that specializes in a specific dish—from ramen, sushi, curry (Japan’s sweeter version, to be clear), yakitori, tempura, to okonomiyaki. When a restaurant has a singular speciality, it only means there are countless hours spent tweaking every detail to attain a level of perfection—so you know you’re in for a ride.

That's the same principle Senshin Hospitality Group embodies, as seen with their homegrown dining concepts like Inari Sukiyaki, which has saucy (less sabaw) sukiyaki; Katsudonya Saiko, which offers Tokyo-style crispy pork; and their newest concept, Gyudonya, which zooms in on Japanese beef rice bowls.

Now open on the basement floor of MITSUKOSHI in Bonifacio Global City, Gyudonya. The restaurant occupies a compact, casual space, with an open kitchen that invites everyone to witness the craft behind each bowl of their gyudon.

The Japanese dish has long been a salaryman's go-to for a fast, affordable, filling meal, and Gyudonya gives it a more premium feel—minus the white linen tablecloths and a napkin on your lap. The restaurant prides itself on using high-quality cuts like Karubi, Tenderloin, Sirloin, and Ribeye, served in different ways: slowly simmered, fire-seared, and served in sizzling stone pots.

And then there's the must-try housemade steak sauce that accompanies all steak dishes. Founder and CEO Richard Sanz shares that when he conceptualized Gyudonya, he already knew he wanted good beef, but he also wanted an equally good steak sauce that comes with it. "You cannot feed a Pinoy without sauce," and with the help of Chef Francis Lim, they were able to come up with their signature sauce: a sweet, nutty, and tangy sauce—which, fun fact, uses fresh wasabi.

There's beauty in Gyudonya's customizable gyudon bowls, especially for those who know exactly what they want and how they want it. It starts with choosing your "weapon," either a plain bowl or the not-so-plain counterpart, a sizzling stonepot. This is followed by picking your protein: OG Gyudon, Spicy OG Gyudon (our favorite), Brown Butter Garlic Gyudon, and Black Truffle Gyudon. The set is complete with Japanese rice, miso soup, onsen egg, nori tulle, and pickled ginger.

Gyudon also has customizable Sizzling Stonepot Steak Sets, and the pricier you go, the better it tastes. While that is unfortunate news for our wallets, we promise that the SRF & Wagyu Prime Steak Bowl (P1,285)—the most expensive option—is so worth the splurge. This dish stars a generous amount of marbled beef that melts in the mouth and gives your lips a complimentary gloss. This is best with the flavor bomb of Umami Steak Rice, which has furikake for umami and wasabi butter for a bit of kick.

We'd argue that sometimes getting "lost in the sauce" is a good thing, literally speaking. Gyudonya's 12-Hour Wagyu Beef Hayashi (P585) is the best example because the meat shares the spotlight with the flavorful housemade demi-glace. Don't confuse nor expect it to be anything like Japanese curry just because it looks like it; the hayashi actually leans closer to home, bearing similarities to the savory, tomato-forwardness of Filipino stews like mechado.

The only non-steak dish on the menu is the Nori Butter Noodles (P485). It feels a little extra if you’re already ordering the beefy rice bowl—but go and order both if you’re dangerously hangry. Another option is to just get the noodles on their own. It’s the kind of dish that’s easy to overlook at a gyudon-focused restaurant, but it's one that leaves a lasting impression. In fact, it has high potential to become an ironic bestseller.

If there’s a Gyudonya dish we’re curious about, it’s the Steak & Ikura Bowl (P1,185). It’s pretty much exactly what you’d imagine it to be, but somehow even better on paper (menu). It has tender 24-hour sous-vide beef cheek, shoyu-cured ikura, fresh wasabi, and Japanese rice. What's not to like?

Gyudonya carries the same drinks and desserts served across other Senshin concepts. You can order House Iced Tea (P120), Iced Matcha Latte (P150), or Iced Hojicha Latte (P150) for refreshment. And for dessert, there's Japanese gelato (prices start at P150) in flavors like Chocolate Lava Cake, Hokkaido Cheese, and Ceremonial Grade Matcha.

Gyudonya goes by the philosophy of “know your beef,” and after dining here, you do leave knowing more about the different cuts of beef and, consequently, your biases. But more importantly, you come away with the realization that premium cuts can exist in a more casual dining scene, too. Gyudonya is proof of that.