Among the brash drinking holes and boisterous old-school izakaya taverns clustered in the narrow alleys that surround Kanda Station, The Blind Donkey is an unexpected, understated anomaly.

It has no flashing lights announcing its presence, or any other identifying signs, for that matter. The clear glass frontage, discreetly set back from the street, reveals a simple, tranquil interior of wood and earth tones. In sophisticated Aoyama or Hiroo, this would blend in seamlessly. But here, in gritty salaryman land, it feels as unlikely as an ikebana flower arrangement in a pachinko parlor.

Incongruous as the setting may be, it showcases the underlying back-to-the-roots ethos of co-owners Jerome Waag and Shinichiro Harakawa. The two chefs spent over a year working on this project, traveling around Japan to meet with farmers, producers and like-minded souls, before finally opening The Blind Donkey in December.