The Blind Donkey — Restaurant in Tokyo

A Hidden Gem: The Blind Donkey

Tucked away on the second floor of a seemingly unremarkable apartment building, The Blind Donkey feels like a secret hideout waiting to be discovered. The moment you step inside, the ambiance envelops you—intimate lighting, eclectic décor, and an atmosphere that is both cozy and mysterious.

The meal began with starters that boldly embraced bitter flavors. Paired with a selection of red wines carrying their own distinct bitterness, the initial courses were a daring choice that might not suit everyone's palate. As someone who appreciates bitter notes, I found this intriguing, but it's worth noting for those who prefer milder tastes.

Initially, I was concerned that the bitterness would dominate the entire dining experience. However, as the courses progressed, the flavors gradually softened. By the time dessert arrived, the dishes had transitioned to lighter, more delicate tastes. It was a culinary journey that felt almost cathartic, relieving the intensity of the earlier courses.

The environment is undoubtedly one of The Blind Donkey's strongest assets. The ambiance creates a unique dining experience that's both relaxing and engaging. That said, the service could benefit from some improvements. The waitstaff spoke softly, making it difficult to hear explanations of each dish, and their attentiveness could be enhanced.

Despite these minor hiccups, I agree with others who consider this restaurant to offer a Michelin-worthy experience at a fraction of the cost. I'm eager to return in a different season to see how the menu and atmosphere evolve. The Blind Donkey is a hidden gem that promises an unforgettable...

Blind Donkey is 2 minutes from Kanda Station, past the street barkers and gaudy lights, in a discreet, unassuming location. It has a relaxed California feel about it, with soft jazz, warm and welcoming personnel, and a trendy, unpretentious thirty to forty something clientele.

The food concept is one that supposedly mirrors what Alice Waters does at Chez Panisse, i.e. let the quality of the ingredients shine through without over working. Though Blind Donkey touts the farm to table mantra, in reality this difficult to accomplish without personally inspecting the ingredients before they make it to the restaurant. Just because something is produced by a faraway small farmer doesn’t confer nobility or taste, or that it can just be put into a dish without it contributing something specific.

The results are uneven, and I experienced no “wow!” moments, but a few “oh, that’s interesting...” Flavorless cucumber gelée that needed more gelatin and looked like Ghostbuster green slime, roast pork with a half inch border of fat that should have been used to bard the loin and slow roasted so the meat would be imbued with flavor and fork tender.

Final evaluation, worth a try, and there is a small à la carte menu, though it’s prix fixe for ¥8000. A couple glasses of wine and an after dinner beverage comes to around...

The food was fantastic! I went with my mother and the two of us were the only customers. We showed up 15 minutes after their open time and seated 15 prior to our reservation. The only problem I had was the lack of knowledge that the staff had on what they were serving.

1. My mother ordered a nigori sake which was pricy. What she was served was what she ordered, but the bottle had been apparently opened quite a long time ago and bacteria had contaminated the sake and caused it to sour considerably.
2. After her meal, she ordered a hot coffee and received what appeared to be a super watery diluted coffee. Like they filter used coffee grounds through not a second time, but weak enough to think that the weak coffee grounds was filtered three times. Once again, the food was fantastic, but the attention to quality on the drinks that were being served was awful. The staff needs to understand what they are handling and the price/cost of items on the menu. Once again we were the only customers through our whole meal. The back of the house was watched and instructed by the chef, but the service and front of the house were unsupervised. I would not recommend going here if you plan on having anything to drink unless they educate the staff. The atmosphere was plain but the view was...