Don Panko

NEWS

ONLINE RESERVATIONS

KATSU

It is Katsu, and we are aware you know about it, we’ve been in the same situation as you have been for so many times, waiting for Lunch time and dart off your desk to go to your nearest shop and get it. It’s that Katsu craving moment in which you don’t mind the queuing time, because already the smell of it it’s worth every single second your watch ticks, and you know you’re a second closer to it.

You see the member of the staff platting up your Katsu Curry or whichever other combination possible, and your tummy rumbles like no other day of the week, and then you’re handed your Katsu, you’re not the Champion, YOU ARE THE KING, YOU ARE THE QUEEN, and you can’t be bothered to share a piece, in fact you think “why would I share a piece?”

Don Panko is the creation after those non-guilt moments in which you haven’t shared a piece of your Katsu, and you have thought how could you manage to make it even tastier.

We have gone ahead and done that for you, we’ve made it crispier, our Panko is perfectly selected for every meat-cut and with the perfect blend of oil gets that crispy like no-one else. Our meat is locally sourced so you know what you eat and it’s as juicy as you would have never imagined. Our rice is Top Notch, from Toyama-Japan, and it’s the best for Katsu.
We are DON PANKO

ABOUT

My mum will probably shout at me once she reads this for one reason....

Destiny linked me years back in time with Japan working for a group of Japanese restaurants in London, in which partly work and partly leisure, I had the chance or perhaps the “luck” to travel a lot to the country of the rising sun.

I have always been very minimalist, so when discovering Japanese culture my understanding of the expression “less is more” boost all over my head when I star discovering the tiny restaurants from North to South in Japan, specialising in just one dish or one type of cuisine, ramen shops, curry and udon counters in the train stations, sushi restaurants, nabe houses, etc..

Without being pretentious, but I must admit I have spent a serious % of my wages in food in Japan, something my tummy and me are really proud of, but I have enjoyed every single moment of it, and this is the bit my mum will be shouting at me for (all mum want their sons and daughters to save money), however I will face it and admit I will keep spending even more, life is all about food and I am determined to accomplish it with Japanese food.

Years ago all my Japanese friends started encouraging me to help other Japanese restaurants so I started my own consultancy company, which still remains a huge part of my weekly hours, where I get to meet real passionate people trying to make the best of Japanese food, but recently all my Japanese friends started encouraging me once again, but this time was different...

Gathering friends at home to watch some football and after a few beers and glasses of sake, what it started as a joke ended up challenging me to create a pop-up venture of one of my favourite types of Japanese foods, “Katsu”.

So it was about time I had to travel again to Japan for work, then I spend literally 10 days visiting Katsu shops and talking to chefs working on those restaurants and eating tons of it. It linked me with a great Japanese Chef, whom in pursuit of promoting Japanese culture overseas, wanted to teach me all the secrets. So I took a couple of months later some holidays and travel on purpose to Japan to meet this Chef and soak all is tricks.

Introducing Don Panko to London is very special, and the feedback I would like to gather in the pop-ups will determine the upcoming future of the concept, London is leading Europe in terms of culinary offers, and it is going back to the times, in which SPECIALIZATION is becoming more and more strong. We have learnt in the recent decades how industrialization and mass-production has helped bringing the cost down of things, however you can’t trick your palate, tasty things still require a human touch, human efforts and hard work, freshness is recognized immediately by all your senses.

Less is More

FOOD PHILOSOPHY

Main Ingredients

RICE

Our Koshihikari rice grows in Nyuzen, Toyama Prefecture.

Famous for its pure and fast flowing fresh spring waters, rice grown in Nyuzen is of premium quality and great taste. With a slightly sweeter flavour than usual and perfect stickiness, this Koshihikari rice is ideal for Katsu dishes.

MEAT

We only use locally sustainable sourced meats from great Farmers.

SAUCE

Otafuku Katsutare Gold Edition from Hiroshima

This sauce is pure real UMAMI , with natural extract from Hiroshima mother oysters, shipped exclusively for us.

CONTACT

Email us at info@i8mgt.com

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