A bit of background – met up with a few Japanese friends over the past weekend and in response to an upcoming trip, they shared that gyu-don in Japan tastes much better than what can be found in Singapore, which set me thinking which is the better gyu-don in Singapore.

Googling apparently works as EDMW has several threads that discuss this here, here and here, but there is only one way to find out.

Yoshinoya arrived on Singapore shores in 1997, while Sukiya is a later entrant in 2021. Guess this also arises from Yoshinoya being the gyu-don chain with the longest history, tracing back to 1899, while Sukiya is a youngster in comparison, having started in 1982.

First Stop: Sukiya

Sukiya has various locations in Singapore, and I went to the Suntec branch. Starting out great as the feel of the place is excellent, with the high ceiling making you feel more spacious while having your meal. But if you are here solely for the high ceiling alone, might I suggest just going outdoors, could be better.

What strikes you here once you have been seated is 2 things that you don’t really expect from a quick service restaurant – QR Code Ordering and Service without the Service Charge, which is very beneficial for larger group gatherings and family with kids.

The menu was also pretty rock solid with many options including gyudon, yakiniku, salmon and unagi. For the whole list of options, you can find it on their website.

Of course, being on the hunt for gyu-don, that’s what I went for.

A small gyu-don costs S$ 4.20 without any add-ons, but you can add green veggies and miso soup (or a drink) for an additional S$2. Being absolutely honest, size-wise it was fine with me, but if you are going through puberty or a hungry adult, you may want to consider the medium (which is comparable to Yoshinoya’s Regular size) which is S$4.90 without add-ons. I think the option of a smaller size would sit well with families, given that kids may not be able to finish the whole portion.

The dish itself was reasonable for its price. The meat is tender and in bite size pieces, plus as you can see, the fats were sufficient to give the oomph but not too overpowering. There was enough broth within the bowl such that the rice was not too dry – the broth also imparted a sweeter flavour as you go through the meal, ensuring that it is not too jelak and dry that you can continue having bite after bite. And who doesn’t like veggies for a balanced diet but it felt that garlic was free as you ate the veggies. Miso soup as always to wash down the meal, always good, but you have the option for a soft drink if preferred.

Overall, I would say that I was pleasantly surprised with the offering at Sukiya, having not eaten gyudon for a long while.

Second Stop: Yoshinoya

Where do I begin? Ever since secondary school (in the early 2000s), Yoshinoya has been one of the go-to places for after school lunch with the friends. Holds a lot of memories for sure, but the menu itself might have changed since I last went (even the shop logo has changed colour from orange).

Having arrived at the Bugis Junction branch, first thing that I noticed was the inclusion of ramen. Maybe it has been a while but my own personal opinion is that options are good but I wouldn’t be going to Yoshinoya for ramen, but I’ll put that on the list to try. Full menu here.

For the gyudon, there are only two sizes, regular (S$6.50) and large (S$8.00), and if you dine in it comes with a free miso soup. Food will be prepared at the counter for self-collection as compared to Sukiya.

I was not that impressed with the Yoshinoya gyudon. The beef had more fats than expected and it felt like a heavy meal. There was also limited broth in the rice at the outlet I tried, resulting in it being drier than I expected and the rice tasting absolutely like… rice, with you needing to drink the soup (which was not as tasty as Sukiya’s miso soup) in between to wash the food down. It could just be the unfortunate part of the day or branch probably. Full? Yes. Satisfied? Not that much which is surprising in all honesty.

Winner: Sukiya, for the myriad options that they have with a more delicious beef bowl. Especially good for families with kids as the dishes will be served to you after you order. I can understand the appeal of Yoshinoya though, going there for a full meal with your friends after school will always be a memory I have, and I can feel the same continues with many students at the outlet when I went today, and you don’t make it more than 100 years (and more than 25 years in Singapore) without having some form of appeal.

Stay tuned as I will be having these again in Tokyo, alongside Matsuya and Nakau. There are some that swear that Matsuya is the best gyudon, which makes for an interesting comparison.