01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Open the menu at Donbu, set close to Musashiseki Station, and the first thing that catches your eye is the breadth of seafood, guided by what arrived fresh that day. Platters arrive with thick-sliced Pacific bluefin tuna and rich, fatty horse mackerel. Diners stopping by on their own will appreciate the solo sashimi assortment, sized comfortably for one. Depending on the day's market catch, the kitchen might prepare Nagasaki flying squid sashimi alongside boiled tentacles and fins, or crisp, house-made fried horse mackerel with deep, meaty flakes.
Just as compelling as the seafood are the skewers hot off the charcoal grill. The selection runs from staples like negima (chicken and scallion) and freshly mixed chicken tsukune meatballs to hearty cuts like pork jowl (kami-kashira) and skirt (harami). Tsukune can be enjoyed with crisp raw green pepper or a raw egg yolk for dipping. A steady supporting cast of small plates—including slow-cooked house motsu nikomi, boiled pork stomach sashimi, and lightly seared toriwasa chicken—makes waiting for the grill feel just as leisurely.
The counter wrapping the kitchen suits solo diners or pairs settling in for a drink, while tables and tatami seating further back accommodate small gatherings. With a cold bottle of Sapporo Akaboshi, a glass of Hoppy, or selections from regional sake and shochu, you can take your time scanning the blackboard and paper strips for whatever looks best that evening.
