Location: 205-4501 North Rd, Burnaby, BC
Phone: (604) 566-9107 | Hours: N/A
My girlfriend and I decided to visit this place after great reviews by “foodosophy” and “foodology“. We weren’t big fans of Katsu (deep fried pork chop), but we still wanted to try this place out. Don’sta is located in the same mall as Hannam Supermarket. It took us awhile for us to find this place while only knowing the address and the approximate location. I decided to call and the waitress was smart enough to tell me it’s in the same mall as Hannam Supermarket. Big plus for that.
Don’sta
This place is famous for their Donkatsu and Pasta. However, only a limited selection is available on the menu. There were only 4 types of Donkatsu and five types of Pastas. We thought they only make what they are good at, but we’ll soon see if they can meet our expectations.
Don’sta
We visited this place right around normal lunchtime on a Saturday afternoon. When we went in, there were only 2 or 3 tables occupied besides us. Our first impression of the place was that they hadn’t put much effort into decorating the restaurant. The tables and chairs were all different size and shapes, it seemed like they were picked up from a garage sale or something along the lines. We were greeted by the waitress with the menu and then she left. At first, I thought where was our drinks and utensils. Anyhow, I saw people walked up to a station and grabbed these things themselves. So, I followed.
Self-served
This reminds me of a cafeteria where you have to grab your own utensils.
Self-serve Salad Bar
Self-serve Salad Bar
There is also a self-serve salad bar with slaw, lettuce, pineapple and jalapeno. And a blueberry dressing, honey mustard, thousand island, and hot-sauce.
BlueBerry Dressing, Lettuce, Pineapple
Overall, the materials at the salad bar were quite fresh. I wanted to try the blueberry dressing. It was a sweet sauce but not too sweet that destroyed the taste. Quite an interesting way to start my lunch. And I’m sure the girls are sold on the heart-shaped plate.
Regular Donkatsu
At places like these when we were unsure what they will serve us, we usually get the regulars just to be on the safe side. But as you can see, the portions aren’t very proportionate.
Sauce for Katsu
This was the sauce that was paired with the Donkatsu. I had a mix feeling about the sauce, it was a mixture of tomato and cream with some stuff in it. But, I couldn’t figure out what it was. The sauce was alright, it seemed like one of the watered-down sauces from Classico mixed with other ingredients. I have never had a Donkatsu with this type of sauce to compliment.
Donkatsu
The Donkatsu was very thinly sliced. So thin that maybe less than half was pork and the other was the batter. The batter was not bad, it was crunchy to taste. But felt like I was eating batter more than pork chop. The bowl of rice to compliment did not match up with the price that was paid for in my opinion.
Chicken & Mushroom Cream Pasta
My girlfriend ordered the chicken & mushroom cream pasta. I believe it was their only cream pasta. And was it a surprise! It just tastes almost the same as Campbell’s mushroom cream of soup with a hint of pepper. Actually, it was quite peppery. It did not feel like a $8.50 pasta. Like most restaurants, pastas are served with garlic bread. But, none here. I would say that Jimoco Cafe & Pasta has better value and quality over Don’sta.
Overall, our lunch costed over $20, which is a little overboard for lunch in this type of setting. I think in order for Don’sta to remain competitive and excel in quality, it must step up its game. By looking at the business, it seems that it is a family business and probably limited to resources. However, I think they can at least improve in customer service and explain how their self-serve bar works.
Last but not least, got any clue how this restaurant came up with the name “Don’sta”? Let me know in the comments section below! (I totally missed it, until my gf told me.)
