DOJO Review: Japanese Inspired Burgers And Rice Bowls Under $10 In Town

Affordable burgers and rice bowls in town at DOJO

Update (4 April 2019): DOJO has permanently closed.

Finding good, inexpensive food in town can be a struggle, especially if your group doesn’t want to settle for the same ol’ fast food (again). Thankfully, DOJO dishes out pork burgers and hearty rice bowls in Somerset for under $10.

If you’re looking for a satisfying bite in town that won’t burn a hole in your pocket, DOJO will be your answer to an affordable, meaty meal.

Food at DOJO

DOJO specialises in pork burgers, with the juicy pork patties all made with house special seasoning – sans fillers, MSG, or added preservatives.

Kaiju ($8) was the first burger that caught my eye on the menu, especially because I believe you can never go wrong with the familiar mushroom-cheese combination. To make it a more complete meal, we topped up another $3.90 for a Standard Upgrade, which includes fries and a canned drink.  

This burger came with a substantial pork patty slathered with a cheesy sauce made with chopped shiitake, champignon and paddy straw mushrooms, all sandwiched between two toasted buns. The patty itself was juicy and slightly pink in the middle. Though it wasn’t tough, the meat had varying textures, with the middle being more tender than the chewier, charred edges.

The soft mushrooms gave a pleasant texture to the whole ensemble. However, the sauce was quite salty and ended up overpowering the rest of the flavours.

The fries that came with the meal were surprisingly addictive as they were very well-seasoned, with just the right thickness to be crispy on the outside without turning soggy easily. A smooth tomato sauce that resembled fresh salsa was also served on the side.

Next up, we tried Sumo ($9). This burger looked way more impressive, with DOJO’s standard pork patty being topped with shredded vegetables, sesame dressing and large strips of crispy, batter-fried pork belly bacon.

This burger’s flavours were more well-balanced. The crisp, refreshing taste of sliced fresh carrots and cucumber cut through the saltiness of the crunchy bacon and pork party, with a mild sweetness from the sesame sauce. Just a fair warning: the pile of bacon is pretty substantial so you probably shouldn’t try to ambitiously fit the burger into your mouth.

Aside from the standard patty, Big Boss ($9) came topped with a fried onion ring, egg, melted cheese and a strip of bacon. Though the patty stayed pleasantly consistent, it wasn’t enough to make up for the over-cooked bacon and egg. The fried egg was quite dry while the bacon was completely burnt.

The onion ring was an interesting addition, though it was a little soggy and didn’t have much flavour. Overall, we were quite disappointed with this burger, especially because it would’ve turned out great if not for the poorly executed components.

Aside from burgers, DOJO also dishes out affordable rice bowls that all come with Japanese rice, shredded cabbage and fried seafood tofu slices. We went for their popular Grilled Pork ($9) bowl and topped up $1 for an Egg.  

The thick chunks of pork were marinated thoroughly with teriyaki sauce, which was alsdo used to flavour the rice. Dipping the pork into the runny egg yolk made each piece taste even richer, while the shredded cabbage added a pleasant crunch.

Ambience at DOJO

DOJO is one of the many food kiosks located in the basement of 313@Somerset. Since they don’t have their own sitting area, you’ll have to find a spot in the communal dining space where you may have to compete with the busy crowd. You won’t have to worry too much about waiting in line as you’ll be given a buzzer that will notify you when your order is ready for collection.

Verdict

Overall, DOJO does offer some satisfying items that are worth the money, especially considering that it’s located in the heart of town. However, I’d probably stick with the less elaborate burger options if I were to visit them again.

Address: 313 Orchard Road,  #B3-43, 313@Somerset, Singapore 238895
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 10pm
Tel: 6835 7606
Website
DOJO is not a halal eatery.

This is an independent review by Eatbook.sg.