11/21/06 | Yoshinoya Beef Bowl
[ Currently Eating: Wheat Toast ]
“Hey Yoshinoya, Nice To Know Ya!” Such was the familiar greeting I often heard in college… because my last name happened to nearly coincide with this Beef Bowl chain’s name. I didn’t mind too much though, because I liked their food and still do.
Something that a lot of people (including me) are surprised about is that the Yoshinoya Beef Bowl chain is not endemic to the U.S. It’s actually straight from Japan and is quite respected over there (would you believe it was actually established back in 1899!) I was always under the impression that it was a “Panda Express” phenomenon - a sort of ethnic food “created” to please the western palate.
But actually, Yoshinoya is such a huge institution in Japan that when they were forced to stop selling their signature beef bowl product in 2004 due to “crazy cow” import restrictions, people lined up around the block to get a last taste of their favorite fast food. Recently, they’ve brought it back over there, but I think they only sell the Beef bowl one day of the week?
The first one in the U.S. was started up in Torrance, CA in 1979. I haven’t been to that one, but there happens to be another one pretty close to my house.
If you haven’t had their beef before, it can take some getting used to. Their main product is a thinly sliced, extremely fatty beef cooked in onions with sauce. They throw that on top of sticky rice and call it a Beef Bowl (Gyu-Don in Japan). They also sell other meals that have teriyaki chicken and cooked vegetables. I’ve also gotten their fried chicken wings which are decent. Below is a picture of a combo bowl that has beef, veggies and chicken on top of rice.
Apologies for the pictures - I hate taking food pics at night but that’s often when I order fast food so it’s difficult. Anyway, you get the general idea. I’ve already described the beef and that’s pretty consistent at any Yoshinoya you visit. The beef is a bit “stringy” with a lot of fat in it. Consequently, it has quite a bit more flavor. For me, the cooked onions really help out. If you don’t like mushy cooked onions, you probably won’t like it though.
To me, the teriyaki chicken is slightly below average. I think it’s the fact that the sauce is overly sweet and the chicken skin tends to be more rubbery than crispy. I’ve been thinking of asking them to skip the sauce or put it on the side. I don’t know if they’ll throw me out if I ask for that, though.
The veggies consists of carrots, brocolli, cauliflower and cabbage and for the most part are overcooked to the point of melting in your mouth. I think they’re cooked in some kind of chicken stock, but I can’t be sure. I don’t really like them, but hey you gotta have some sort of veggies with the meal…
I almost forgot - their signature condiment is a pickled red ginger that’s set out in plastic tubs much like salsa is at Mexican restaurants. It actually contrasts quite nicely with the fatty beef. I have a tub of this ginger at home and eat it with curry and other meals.
The rice is surprisingly OK. (Update: I just had another bowl today and have come to realize it’s not exactly the same “sticky rice”. The grains are more distinct, like normal American rice. I don’t know if the rice varies depending on the restaurant. Still, it’s all right.) I’ve had rice from mom and pop restaurants that’s worse. And since the main dish is already on top of the rice, you won’t get stares from people if you pour your soy sauce on top of it. (Side note: my room-mate used to pour soy sauce directly on a bowl of white rice. We had to hang him upside down by his heels out the dorm window until he agreed never to perform this massive faux pas again… OK, I’m kidding.)
One thing - I don’t think these meals can be very healthy for you. It IS fast food, however. Sometimes it’s nice to have a change from Jack in the Balpha.
One of the most surprising things to me is that the meals are fairly cheap for the amount of food that you get. A standard beef bowl is about $2.95 and the amount of food is enough to fill me up for lunch. The large chicken / beef combo bowl pictured above runs you $4.29 and is definitely more than enough for me for dinner. I think some of that has to do with the amount of rice they give you. Yeah, rice fills you up nicely and is pretty high up there on the list of Cheap Eats.
Because of the cheaper prices, I gave Yoshi a little higher score than I would have. I’m still not a big fan of the chicken and veggies, but the beef bowl is a nice alternative to other fast food.
Price: $4.29 for Combo Bowl
Found At: Yoshinoya
Cheap Eats Score: 7/10
November 21st, 2006 at 2:46 pm
I LOVE Yoshinoya. When I first moved to Los Angeles, I went on a binge for fast-food places that they didn’t have in western PA. My japanese wife insisted I try Yoshinoya, and after I did, I became a vocal supporter. It’s cheap, it’s delicious, and very filling. I prefer the large combo bowl with spicy sauce. Mmm-mmm good. They’re wings aren’t half bad either, but wings on the west coast are both overpriced and underportioned.
November 21st, 2006 at 3:47 pm
rb - I’ll second you on the wings… not bad at 6 for $1.69. They’re actually quite tasty, but yes, I wish they were more substantial. Not bad for a snack.
November 21st, 2006 at 4:30 pm
Awww man…they don’t have those in CO.
Looks good though
November 21st, 2006 at 5:35 pm
What’s wrong with putting soy sauce on white rice?
November 22nd, 2006 at 2:05 am
I only had Yoshinoya once and remember the bowl being very watery for some reason. But it looks good in that picture, maybe I should give it another shot.
November 22nd, 2006 at 3:27 am
They now sell the beef bowls every day in japan from 11-2, but in limited quantity so if they run out for the day its gone. It is much tastier in Japan compared to american yoshinoya
November 26th, 2006 at 12:12 am
You are correct. Yoshinoya in the states is nasty. Its tastes dirty compared to the yoshinoyas in Japan.
December 6th, 2006 at 5:20 pm
Yoshinoya is pretty good over here in Singapore too!
December 12th, 2006 at 9:51 am
Icemn - It’s decent, but nothing to write home about.
MAC Dodge - Nothing. I’ll just say it’s a huge taboo and faux pas among my relatives and many asian folks I know. But trust me, they’re laughing at you not WITH you. You know how Bobby Flay jumped on top of the counter during the Iron Chef battle with Morimoto, and how Morimoto got extra-pissed? It’s something like that. Like putting ketchup directly on rice. Ah, I don’t want to make people feel bad because I know I pull a lot of ethnic culinary etiquette boners as well.
Ace N - that’s interesting, I’ve had the exact issue with the watery bowl one or two times. Not sure why that happens.
Gimpy / Shawn - I didn’t think it was that bad. It’s no gourmet food, but it’s not that bad.
Jchong - I didn’t know they had it in singapore!
February 21st, 2007 at 1:18 pm
Ace N: It’s usually watery because of the steam.
March 7th, 2007 at 1:09 am
well what can i say its my favorite!!!!yoshinoya is the best!!!….yum yum..very tasty….
March 11th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Yoshi’s home page say only in Calif and NY, but I ate at same named place in Colorado, around 1976. Is it same place? I live in fla and miss it. May try making some at home I’m missing it so. Love another restaurant called Yakitori. Great chicken skewers grilled and served with thick type soy sauce and white rice. uuuhm
September 14th, 2007 at 1:12 am
Love it!!!!!!
I wish they have yoshinoya beef bowl in Indonesia
I missed the taste of the beef bowl and shrimp combo…….
February 24th, 2008 at 9:32 am
My mom first intoduced me to “Beef Bowls” when my brothers and I were young. It is still to this day, one of our favorites. I haven’t been to Yoshindos in a while. I wish threre were more of them around. The thinly sliced meat is chocked full of flavor. I first tried cheese cake at their Kearny Mesa location, and I haven’t stopped eating since. If you have never tried a beef bowl. It is worth a drive from any part of the county.
> I put soy sauce on everything
March 11th, 2008 at 12:26 am
No sir, they will not throw you out for asking them to put the sauce on the side. A lot of people does it, so they’re used to it. But i agree, i don’t like that sweet teriaky sauce. Surprisingly, the Latino customers seem to love it, and they more than often ask for extra sauce.
March 21st, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I used to work at yoshinoya beef bowl, and like ninhoo5 said, no they def. will not THROW you out for asking for no sauce or requesting it on thie side. Belive me, we used to get alooot of bizzare orders…asking for vegtables or sauce on the side isnt going to get you booted. I personally was never a big fan of Yoshinoya, however I got a fantastic disscount (for working there) so I never had to many complants. I personally perfer the teraki chicken, or the shrimp bowl..the calm chowders ok, its a little watery though. I was never a big fan of the beef, it def. has a “required taste”…..the choclate cakes good to.
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:26 pm
I LOVE IT ATE IT WHEN I WAS A CHILD THE FLAVOR I CAN TASTE IT RIGHT NOW MMMMM
February 11th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
I ordered a large beef bowl and it is usally very tender but this time it was dry and chewy.