Bikkuri Donkey

On August 02, hubby and I had lunch at a restaurant named ‘Bikkuri Donkey’ in Akita city. Bikkuri Donkey is a family restaurant franchise in Japan that specializes in ‘hambaagu’ minced meat steaks, which means hamburger patties without the bun (bread) or condiments. Note that this is different from ‘hambaagaa’, which is a regular hamburger. I just love the name Bikkuri Donkey which literally translates to ‘surprise donkey’. I am not sure of the origin of the restaurant name but as far as I know the hamburger steak is made from ground beef and not donkey! There are about 300 restaurants around Japan. The restaurant chain breeds all their own cattle, farms, and supervises production of all their dairy, grain, meat and vegetable products, and even brews their own beer. They claim to use less of chemical fertilizers and no herbicides on their vegetables and grazing pastures. To retain the natural flavor of beef in a hamburger steak, no artificial food additives and preservatives are used in preparing the meals.

Bikkuri Donkey restaurant is easy to recognize as the buildings have a very distinct look. The restaurant buildings have an appearance of old mining building with imitated dark brown walls or a wooden hideout shack for cowboys and drifters of America's old west (Wild West). The banner of the restaurant name has an exclamation mark, which indicates bikkuri or surprise. The wooden interior of the restaurant has a similar rustic feel and has a handmade atmosphere. The restaurant has many antique decorative items such as buckets, baskets, old documents, gramophone, old style bicycle, and toys. The lamps at each table are all unique and different. Bikkuri Donkey restaurant is a favorite spot for families, couples, and groups of friends to eat lunch or dinner. People enjoy its atmosphere, reasonable prices, and healthy dishes.

Bikkuri Donkey restaurant

Exclamation mark in the banner of the restaurant

When we reached Bikkuri Donkey restaurant, we saw that the place was rather crowded and people were waiting patiently outside the restaurant door for their turn to eat. After waiting for about 30 minutes, we were shown to a table by the restaurant staff. The menu was mounted in a wooden frame that was shaped like old western saloon doors. Opening the doors allowed it to stand on the table by itself. The menu consisted of a variety of ‘burg dishes’ (hamburger steak with a topping) that included rice and salad. The hamburger steak was offered in two different sizes of 150 and 300 grams. There were many kinds of steak toppings to choose from. A lot of set-courses, hamburger steak (without rice and salad), okosama-menu (menu for kids), beer, soft-drinks, and desserts were also available. After about five minutes of waiting, a waitress came by and took our orders. We ordered egg-burg dish and oroshi-burg dish. The hamburger steak of egg-burg dish was of 150 grams and had a topping of fried egg. The steak of oroshi-burg dish was of 300 grams and had a topping of grated daikon on a shiso (perilla) leaf. We also ordered a plate of fried-potato (French fries) and a bowl of miso soup. Our food arrived after about fifteen minutes of waiting. It was worth the wait as the food was excellent, really filling, and absolutely delicious.

Menu in the shape of saloon doors

Egg-burg dish

Oroshi-burg dish

Miso soup

French fries

Hubby having lunch

It was a tasty experience at Bikkuri Donkey restaurant. Hubby and I have decided to go more often to the restaurant.