News / Takeaways
Japanese takeaway DonDon more ‘en pointe’ than you think
DonDon translates from Japanese to English roughly as “faster” or “rapidly” – an apt name for a new takeaway whose popularity is quickly growing.
Some may recognise its owner, Makoto Nakamura, who started serving bento in St Nick’s Market and who has now opened a smaller shop in what was most recently Chilli Daddy’s first premises on Queen’s Road in Clifton.
Speaking about the change in direction, Makoto said: “I felt like I wasn’t even looking at people’s faces, I felt almost like a machine, packing food and selling it. I was missing something. I enjoy human-to-human contact.”
is needed now More than ever
The 38-year-old chef was born in Tokyo to two restaurant-owning parents and after moving to the UK has developed a determination to create “a little Japan in Bristol”.
Makoto’s journey to Bristol, however, is far from typical, as Bristol24/7 discovered in 2018 when he still had a market stall:
Makoto spent his younger years dancing with the English National Ballet, but maintained his familial affinity for cooking, always wanting to open a small food business.
When touring major cities across the country, he fell in love with Bristol and decided to make it his home.
Speaking about the thriving food scene in our city, he said his goal wasn’t to take away from the city’s current Japanese culinary landscape, but to add to it, making flavourful and welcoming dishes and helping to “capture the Japanese way of life with presentation and meals”.
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Warm yellow hues of restaurants decor are coupled with authentic dishes, all wrapped up with Makoto’s friendly smile.
It’s well suited to his idea to make the restaurant an extension of his own kitchen, creating no fuss, tasty and traditional Japanese food.
Main photo: Emily Olika
Read more: Brewery collaborates with Eatchu for new Japanese lager
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