Don Tojo is the kid sibling of
Don Don, a cheap and nourishing fast food eatery (and by fast, I mean
fast - most meals are on the table within three minutes), on the corner of Swanston and little Lonsdale. Unlike
Don Don, however, which suffers from the minor drawback of being about the size of a train-station bathroom, true elbow-to-elbow, Japanese-style eating;
Don Tojo is a place to unwind.
At just a few minutes' walk from the
Melbourne University Parkville campus,
Don Tojo is clearly targeted at students. Not only is the food suspiciously cheap, you will not find anything over $10 on the menu, but with beers starting at $3, and a very affordable sake, it is also the perfect venue for boozy, lingering lunches between lectures, or a casual bite and pre-drink before a night out.
The interior also lends itself to the student clientele, with exposed brick walls, wooden tables, and a warm, somewhat incongruous, South/ Central American decorating scheme. On warm days, it is also possible to enjoy an
Asahi while sitting at one of the outside tables, looking out on sleepy Cardigan Street.
Opinions appear to be divided, between diehards of the original
Don Don, and those who have embraced the newer location. As far as the menu goes, however, there is no discernible difference between the two, with both venues serving a small but sufficient array of tasty Japanese fast food. Of particular note is the bento box, which contains a generous selection of sweetly glazed chicken teriyaki and crumbly beef sukiyaki, served with rice, tofu, mayonnaise, salad, and a summery wedge of watermelon or kiwifruit.
