A one-coin lunch makes its debut!

News that Kura Sushi would be launching one-coin "Unadon" (eel bowl) and "Tendon" (tempura bowl) spread quickly. "Unadon" for 500 yen!? And it even comes with side dishes like chawanmushi!

Is this an incredible deal!? I went to a pre-release tasting event to find out what it's all about.

Kura Sushi's 500-Yen "Unadon" and "Tendon"! My Impressions Before Release...

Sushi chain "Kura Sushi" will launch "Lunch Unadon Set" and "Lunch Tendon Set" starting October 30. These are lunch menus available only on weekdays from 11 AM to 3 PM.

Starts October 30

Previously, Kura Sushi offered "Kura Lunch" on weekdays, including "Kaisendon" (seafood bowl) (from 660 yen) and "Tendon" (tempura bowl) (from 720 yen).

This time, replacing these menus are the "Unadon Set" and "Tendon Set," each starting from 500 yen. Both bowls are mini-sized and come with Aosa Miso Soup or Special Chawanmushi.

Please note that prices vary by store, and the listed amounts are the minimum prices. Regular sushi menus and other items can also be ordered during lunch hours.

Here's what I saw at the tasting event.

▲ Lunch Unadon Set (with Special Chawanmushi) from 500 yen

This is a set with Unadon and "Special Chawanmushi." You can choose either Chawanmushi or "Aosa Miso Soup" for the set.

The first thing I noticed was that the Unadon was quite small.

Sauce comes separately in a small packet

According to a Kura Sushi spokesperson, they made the previously sold donburi items into easy-to-eat mini sizes. The key point isn't just reducing the quantity; it's that the donburi, which used to be offered à la carte, is now part of a set with a side menu item.

In fact, the Unadon bowl is the same size as a miso soup bowl. It's small enough to fit in one hand.

Upon tasting, the sauce was sweet, and the eel was plump. Kura Sushi steams the eel, marinates it in sauce, and then repeats grilling processes, such as charcoal grilling, three times, resulting in a very fragrant seared surface.

Honestly, though, the amount of rice was barely a single regular bowl's worth. With the eel sauce stimulating my appetite, I felt a bit unsatisfied.

Small rice portion

That's where the "Special Chawanmushi" in the set comes in handy.

This chawanmushi is quite large for its kind and satisfying to eat. It has a gentle dashi-infused flavor, and inside, there were small scallops. The ingredients are said to change seasonally.

By the way, if you order the Special Chawanmushi à la carte, it costs from 250 yen. This means that with the 500-yen set, you're essentially getting a mini Unadon for the 250-yen difference from the chawanmushi.

Nowadays, it's not uncommon for convenience store onigiri to cost over 200 yen. Considering that, getting an Unadon for 250 yen is quite a bargain. Even if the rice portion is small, the overall set feels like good value.

Incidentally, the mini Unadon can also be ordered à la carte for 380 yen.

"Tendon" Comes with Two Shrimp Tempura! This One Might Be More Filling

Next, I tried the "Tendon."

▲ Lunch Tendon Set (with Aosa Miso Soup) from 500 yen

This is also a mini size, just like the Unadon, with a bowl about the size of a miso soup bowl. This time, I chose the "Aosa Miso Soup" for the set.

I poured the sauce from the small packet

The ingredients include two shrimp tempura, squid tempura, white fish tempura, and nori tempura. Even for a small bowl, I was surprised to find two shrimp tempura.

The shrimp tempura had a crispy batter and plump meat inside. As expected from Kura Sushi, which also offers sushi with tempura, they're experts at tempura.

Unlike the sweet sauce of the Unadon, this sauce has a sharp soy sauce flavor.

It contained pike conger

By the way, the type of white fish tempura changes seasonally, and for this tasting, pike conger (hama) tempura was used. Pike conger, how luxurious! They also sometimes use sea bream, apparently.

The rice portion was small, just like the Unadon. However, because there were more tempura ingredients, I felt this one was more filling.

The "Aosa Miso Soup" in the set costs from 280 yen if ordered à la carte. It's actually more expensive than the chawanmushi.

Considering that, the difference from the 500-yen set price is 220 yen. Being able to enjoy a Tendon with two shrimp tempura and more for this price feels like a great deal.

Incidentally, the mini Tendon can also be ordered à la carte for 380 yen.

Small Rice Portion. But at 500 Yen for the Set, It's Worth It!

According to a Kura Sushi spokesperson, the aim of these new lunch menus is to revitalize weekday lunch hours. The idea is to offer a one-coin set while also providing a portion size that allows customers to easily add regular sushi.

Indeed, if you expect a regular single serving, the donburi is quite small. Nevertheless, with chawanmushi or miso soup included for 500 yen, it's a good deal. What's more, ordering both the Unadon Set and Tendon Set would only be from 1,000 yen. It might even be worth ordering both!

It's great to have more options for weekday lunch.

※Prices in the article are tax-inclusive

♪Mogumogu videos now streaming♪ ASCII Gourmet's YouTube channel "Donburi Channel" delivers information on exciting gourmet foods.

▲Generational Gap Revealed by Donburi!? Favorite Donburi Showdown