#karaagedon

"Japanese minimalism meets urban DC, and the result is deliciously entertaining" 

The Lowdown: Whatever reputation you hold in your mind of Adams Morgan - the roaring bars, unruly crowds, meh & over-priced food - shatters in the face of one of its newest residents: Donburi. This is the perfect blend of Japanese minimalism--both in decor & food-- remixed to the beauty, and flavors of ADMO's natural urban landscape. This is everything that a hole in the wall aspires to be. 

First Impression: Walk too fast and you'll miss it on the busy 18th street corridor; walk too slow and they will probably run out of their fresh salmon shashimi that tops their most popular dish - the Sakedon. Even though there's only 14 seats at the bar, the seats clear fast, and the hip-hop music and sing/dance-alongs from the personality-packed cooks keep you entertained throughout. 

What I ordered: There's only a few items on the menu - 1/3 of them are fish or meat toppings inside a deep rice-bowl;  another 3rd are just the toppings on their own as appetizer plates; and the final 3rd are shashimi sides. Not only do they all taste great - it's pure entertainment to watch them get made by the line-cooks in front of you.

My bowl of the night: the Unagidon - fresh, soft eel that's kissed by a blow torch right before it gets served. It's a quite a delivery, and one that serves both the purposes of drama as well as culinary tact. While the inside of the eel remains soft, maintaining the freshness of flavor; the outside skin is given a delicate charring that slightly crisps the skin, adding another subtle layer of delightful flavor and texture. Everything about it was wonderful - from preparation, to presentation, and consumption!

And what you see above is the Karaagedon. When I asked one of the line-cooks what this entailed, he shot back, "It's like Japanese Popeyes!" Only, I disagree - this chicken is far better. Objectively speaking, they are succulent little nuggets of joy. Just look at that picture, I know you want it. You know you want it. So what are we waiting for here...

And finally, we got some crispy panko-coated jumbo-shrimp on the house because the brand-new host who took our order, royally butchered the order. Forgiveness in exchange for shrimp like this? Call me Mother Teresa. 

The Best Part: Singing and Dancing line-cooks who joke with you throughout the night; music that will have you moving to the beat; and food that will rock your world and come in under $20. This will be a return spot, over and over.

The Worst Part: 1) When you walk in, you stand in line and place your order. Given the tightness of space, this isn't an ideal experience. 2) The front-of-house was not on his game - he pretty much botched every order, and sat people who came in after us, ahead of us. He was new, and mistakes will happen, but the frequency led me to call him out on the multiple fails. Hanger happens. 3) There's no booze here. Those Karaage nuggets of joy would have gone down nicely with a cold Kirin beer. Not to despair - I hear a liquor license is in the works. 

Good for: A quick and casual dinner with a friend or a date after work; or comfort food that you pick up on your way home. A side note: If you show up with friends, more than three in your party will get tricky as it's all bar seating. 

My take: Food 8.5/10; ambience 8.5/10 This place is unique and will put a smile on your face (once you get seated that is!)