“Doria” is a rice casserole with white sauce. “When hearing the name “Doria”, we don’t think it is a dish that originated in Japan. Apparently, there were no foreign dishes with the name “doria” in the past. It is a dish of rice (or pilaf) covered with bechamel sauce (cream sauce), topped with cheese, etc., and baked in the oven. We guess it’s like a gratin using rice instead of macaroni. For a more accurate explanation, it seems that it was not developed by the Japanese. It was created by a foreigner who came to Japan as a chef in the early Showa period (1930s). Since then, it has become a regular menu dish at the hotel’s restaurant, and that is how it all started. The name “doria” is derived from the name of an Italian naval admiral “Andrea Doria” in the 16th century.

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There are many variations nowadays, not only with bechamel sauce, but also with meat sauce topping, curry sauce, etc. The topping sauce can be substituted with other stew dishes, and grilled dishes such as hamburgers can also be used as toppings, which is why it has become a popular menu item.