Metropolis

The whole idea of skewering your food and slapping it on a grill has become pretty much salaryman standard here in Japan—it’s the cheap stuff, fallback food to wash down with a glass of cold beer. But at Lo in Sangenjaya, owner Takahiro Todoroki has given the cuisine a gourmet makeover. At a recent press dinner, we were presented with a knee-weakening array of kushi skewers, including hotate and zucchini with a dusting of ikura and olive oil (¥250); whelk with sundried and roma tomatoes (¥230); and baby yari-ika stuffed with whole olives (¥200). There was also a trio of Iberico, Catalina and Kagoshima pork sticks grilled with mikan, olive and apple, respectively (¥800 per set). Mikan-Iberico was an especially delicious combination—improbably, the orange quarters were served with the skin still on. According to Todoroki, the pairings were the fruit of extensive experimentation, including a few memorable failures (persimmons, apparently, weren’t quite right). Refreshing tapas like a vegetable terrine made with zucchini, asparagus, tomato and salmon (¥500) helped to balance out the meal. But one of our favorite dishes of the evening was a heaping plate of succulently tender lamb with salad and grilled seasonal organic vegetables (¥1,800). Lamb is enough of a rarity in Tokyo that we’re happy just to be able to eat it, but the chefs at Lo have an expert touch. Todoroki, also an interior designer, has given his space intriguing visual touches, like video screens set into the bar counter that flash colorful, abstract patterns. There’s also a DJ booth looking out from the second floor balcony; Lo hosts special events most Fridays and Saturdays starting at midnight.

4-29-15 Taishido, Setagaya-ku. Tel: 03-6380-2771. Open Mon-Thu 6pm-2am, Fri-Sat 8pm-5am, Sun 6pm-midnight. Nearest stn: Sangenjaya. www.factorylo.com