Doria (food)

History

Created during the Shōwa era, doria was originally improvised in the 1930s by Saly Weil, the first grand chef at the Hotel New Grand in Yokohama prefecture. A patron had reportedly requested a dish that was easy to swallow, as they had been feeling sick that day, which prompted Weil to create a soft, comforting dish which required little chewing: cream-stewed shrimp over buttered rice, topped with cheese.

After its conception, the dish gained popularity as a menu item, and eventually became a signature dish of the hotel, under the name "Shrimp Doria". Weil's disciples spread the dish to various restaurants and hotels around Japan in the following decades, cementing doria's place in Japanese culture. The dish is still served at the Hotel New Grand, along with other dishes the hotel claims to have invented, such as spaghetti naporitan and pudding à la mode.

Today, there are multiple variations to doria. Any assortment of vegetables, meat, or seafood may be used, and the rice can be buttered, fried, or in a pilaf. Curry doria is a popular variation, which includes Japanese curry either in the rice or in the sauce on top. It is a staple yōshoku dish in modern Japan, being served in Western restaurants throughout the country.

Name

Several theories exist as to the origin of the name "Doria", though none are officially confirmed. The most widespread theory claims the dish was named after 16th century naval admiral Andrea Doria, who was a member of the prestigious Doria family of Genoa, Italy.

References

References

1. Yuko, Shibukawa. (September 2, 2013). "ニッポン定番メニュー事始め". [[Sairyusha]].
2. "Chicken Doria Recipe".
3. "発祥の伝統料理".
4. "ドリアってどこの国の料理？".
5. link
6. "人気洋食メニュー「ドリア」は日本生まれ～名門ホテルシェフおもてなし心の歴史～".