MUJI isn’t the first place you think of when you’re craving donburi, but their Café&Meal outlets have some great, affordable offerings.

Their donburi bowls start from just $14.90, and their new flagship store at Plaza Singapura, which opens this Fri (July 21), will offer two exclusive menu items; the Pork Katsu Donburi (pictured), and the Cheese Baked Butter Curry Chicken Rice. 

The MUJI Flagship Store is at Plaza Singapura, #01-10 to 17

Truffle anything is usually expensive, but you can get your fix for less than $25 at fusion joint Tanuki Raw. Their Truffle Yakiniku Bowl costs $14.90; for $22, they’ll throw in fresh truffle shavings, too. 

If you’re a traditionalist, you can find Salmon Kaisen ($12.90) and Chirashi ($17.80) bowls at good prices, too. All prices are for their lunchtime menu. 

Tanuki Raw at Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road, #04-01 Orchard Central

Sushiro is the place you’ll want to hit for your Bara Chirashi (cubed sashimi) don cravings on a budget. 

At just $12.90, the quality of fish is reasonable for its price range and comes marinated in a savoury, umami sauce. 

Another favourite: the glazed duck with onsen egg ($14.80) a surprising find considering duck isn’t all that common in Japanese cuisine. 

#01-113F Thomson Plaza, 301 Upper Thomson Road

DSTLLRY’s bara chirashi don ($16.90) is said to be one of the best in town when it comes to marinated versions. 

Be sure to try the salmon aburi don ($16.90) while you’re at it too. The salmon slices, blanketing the umami rice flavoured with sauce, are torch-blown to melt-in-your-mouth, smoky perfection. 

#01-01 Infinite Studios, 21 Media Circle

It may be only a small kiosk with four seats, but kushiya takes the cake for value-for-money Japanese grilled good. 

Serving a wide variety of grilled meats with their Japanese rice bowls, there’s bound to be something to suit what you might be craving. 

Of the lot, the premium steak don ($10.80) is delicious! Medium-rare smoked beef on a bed of rice with kimchi on the side? What’s not to love! 

#B2-K4 Westgate, 3 Gateway Drive

There are only two items in the menu here: special tendon set ($13.90) or vegetable tendon set ($12.90). 

But two items are enough! The special tendon, which comes with a generous portion of various tempura, from prawns to chicken breast to vegetables and even a half-boiled egg, piled up on the bowl of rice. 

Each set also comes with chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) and miso soup with complimentary pickles on every table. 

101 Tanjong Pagar Road

There are many teppei syukudo outlets that serve their famed kaisen don, but the ION Orchard outlet has an exclusive DIY special where you can choose the size of your bowl, your base (rice or salad), the different types of marinated sashimi and premium add-ons. 

#B4-57, ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn

Although its price is a fair bit steeper, Fat Cow is one of the must-go places if you love a good steak. 

The Fat Cow donburi ($39++), tender, smoky charcoal-grilled wagyu beef steak coated in an umami mix of truffle shoyu and yakiniku sauce, needs no introduction and it’s beyond money well spent. 

Equally decadent: the fat foa gura don ($43++), luscious foie gras and smoky wagyu beef lying on a bed of rice. 

#01-01/02 Camden Medical Centre, 1 Orchard Blvd

With many outlets all over the island, Ichiban Boshi is one of the most convenient places to grab comfort Japanese fare to satisfy your cravings. 

The kurobuta uni don ($19.90+) deserves a special mention. 

For its price, the amount of uni (sea urchin) portioned is pretty reasonable; mouth-watering kurobuta pork (black pig) sit atop sushi rice which is covered in thick, savoury and sweet yakiniku sauce with other components such as assorted capsicum, bouncy shimeiji mushrooms, seaweed strips and a runny sous-vide egg. 

Various locations

Try their signature chazuke — there’s unagi (eel), salmon ikura (salmon and salmon roe), ebi fry (bread-crumbed prawn), or tori (chicken). 

Pour the pot of green tea-infused dashi broth into your bowl of Japanese rice and enjoy! 

#02-36 Mapletree Business City, 40 Pasir Panjang Road

Text: Chang Xing Wei/The Finder