Wagyu Ramen Comes to Don Don Donki’s Food Court

Photo: Melissa Chang

West O‘ahu finally has a luxurious wagyu ramen—in the supermarket ambience of the new Don Don Donki in Kapolei.

Named for the brand of wagyu beef flown in from Gunma Prefecture in Japan, Toriyama offers several broths topped with corn, scallions and thin slices of wagyu. Owner Victor Jian slices the meat daily and cooks it in a broth that he has been simmering and adding to for a year, building the umami.

At a hosted tasting, we tried four broths: miso garlic, spicy miso, citrus pepper (yuzu kosho), and original (which is like a light shoyu broth). You can also get plain, garlic, spicy garlic, plain miso and plain spicy. Plain ramen bowls cost $12.25, and the others range from $18.85 to $19.10.

SEE ALSO: A New Conveyor Belt Sushi Spot Just Opened in Kapolei

I think most people will love the familiar miso ramen, but don’t sleep on the spicy or citrus pepper broths, both of which help to cut the richness of the wagyu. The spicy isn’t too hot and will appeal to a wider audience. The yuzu kosho is also not too spicy, and the citrus flavor gives a nice little brightness to each bite.

As for the wagyu itself, it’s very soft with the characteristic wagyu butteriness. I almost wanted more, but it’s so rich.

Photo: Melissa Chang

You can also get wagyu udon ($18.85), but it’s not as tasty as the ramen. I guess the smoother noodles aren’t able to hold onto the flavor as well. If you’re set on udon, you’re better off with more everyday toppings like shrimp tempura, gyoza, shrimp dumpling (all $17.25) or just plain ($12.25) for kids. Wagyu donburi bowls ($17.75) are also available, but we didn’t try these.

Photo: Melissa Chang

Jian is still perfecting his oven-baked, marinated pork ribs, which is a nice option for those who need a heartier meal. We tried the miso mayo topping, which was delicious, but you can opt for seven other flavors, including citrus pepper, yakiniku, tonkatsu sauce and wasabi mayo. These can get a little messy, so be sure to ask for a lot of napkins.

The plate ($17.25) comes with rice, but eventually, Jian will offer these à la carte at the juice bar he owns across the food court. And just to confuse you, at that time, the juice bar will change to “Ribs and Beer.” My favorite here is the sugar cane juices.

If Jian looks familiar, he owns Gyumasu Steak & Seafood in the Embassy Suites in Kapolei, which also features Toriyama wagyu on the menu.

Open Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (hours may change), 500 Kamokila Blvd., @rbjuice2025

Melissa Chang is a frequent contributor to Frolic Hawai‘i.