Onigiri tendon looks set to become Japan’s newest viral food sensation.

For lovers of “tendon” (tempura rice bowls), Tenya is a name that immediately springs to mind. Known for being cheap, tasty and reliable, Tenya is a popular chain that specialises in tendon, and it’s run by Royal Holdings, which operates other big-name chains in Japan like Royal Host, Sizzler, and Shakey’s.

▼ Tenya has branches right around the country.

So when we heard that Tenya was opening a new spin-off restaurant under the Royal umbrella, we headed along to a preview event to see what it was all about. Held the day before the official 7 July opening, we arrived to find that Tenya’s brand-new restaurant concept is called Onidon, short for “onigiri tendon”, which is essentially a tempura rice bowl in the form of a rice ball.

Onidon was originally developed as “a Japanese fast food brand that could compete on the global stage“. Though the spinoff eatery came close to being a chicken burger chain, after a number of twists and turns, the concept eventually evolved into Onidon, which serves up a unique twist on onigiri rice balls.

The inspiration came from a staff meal created by Tenya employees, who turned a tempura rice bowl into an onigiri.

▼ Tendon’s beloved tempura rice bowl.

Royal Holdings took that idea and developed it into a new type of fusion fast food, with plans to gauge public response at this Onidon branch, before expanding into locations such as shopping centres, airports and highway service areas. According to our local reporter P.K. Sanjun, who attended the preview tasting, the onidon has everything it needs to become a hit with the public, and although there are places around Japan that serve tenmusu (short for “tempura musubi”, or “tempura rice balls”), this take on the combination is totally different, and like nothing he’s ever seen before.

Unlike tenmusu, which looks like an ordinary rice ball, but with a piece of tempura – usually fried prawn – inside, this rice ball puts the tempura component proudly on display. With rice concealed beneath, it actually looks more like a tempura rice bowl than an onigiri.

▼ The Original Oni Donburi (370 yen [US$2.28]) contains prawn, scallops, squid, lotus root, pumpkin, and green beans.

Rather than relying on the sauce to carry the flavour in the way tenmusu does, Onidon lets the rice take just as much of the spotlight as the tempura. With every bite, the fried ingredients come together with the rice and seaweed at the same time, creating a combination that’s similar but at the same time different from the experience of eating a traditional tendon.

▼ Onidon’s rice balls are designed to be enjoyed alongside dishes such as tonjiru (pork miso soup) and even fried chicken.

The menu features 10 different onigiri varieties, including deluxe versions, with prices starting from 310 yen (US$2.10). Given how much convenience store rice balls have increased in price recently, the fancy versions here are actually great value for money.

One of the most eye-popping offerings on the menu is the Onidon Special, which comes with a variety of tempura on top of the rice ball. We tried the shrimp variety for 560 yen, and every bite was moreishly delicious, making us want to come back and try everything on the menu.

With every onigiri made to order, this is a fantastic place to try one of the most unusual foodie finds in Tokyo. It’s an experience you can only get at this particular restaurant, and right now there’s only one branch in existence, tucked away in the Ecute building at Ochanomizu Station.

It’ll be interesting to see how far this fast food concept evolves, because with a menu this good Onidon deserves to become as well known and widespread as the Tenya chain. It just goes to show that staff who work at these chains know exactly how to switch up the menu by creating awesome so-called “makanai” meals, and over at Yoshinoya they have some staff secrets for creating tasty off-menu beef bowls too.

Restaurant Information
Onidon Ecute Edition Ochanomizu / おにどん エキュートエディション御茶ノ水店
Address: Tokyo-to, Chiyoda-ku, Kanda Surugadai 2-6, JR Ochanomizu Station 2F, outside the ticket gates
東京都千代田区神田駿河台2-6 JR御茶ノ水駅 2F 改札外
Open: Weekdays 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. (last orders 9:30 p.m.); Weekends & public holidays 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (last orders 8:30 p.m.)
Closed when the facility is closed

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