dao

Tucked along a quiet side street in Taito Ward's Yanaka district, dao offers thoughtfully prepared Chinese cuisine in a calm, welcoming dining room. With both counter seating and tables, it easily accommodates solo diners taking their time as well as small groups sharing a meal.

Set Lunches and House-Style Mapo Tofu

At lunchtime, the set meals served with rice, soup, and salad form the core of the menu. A standout option is the dao-Style Mapo Tofu, balancing the sharp, tongue-numbing buzz of sansho pepper with deep savory richness and a gentle sweetness that naturally pairs with steamed white rice. Diners can also choose from other mains to suit their mood, including house-made yurinchi made with domestic chicken and a refreshing sauce, shrimp braised in chili sauce, or seasonal specialties like oysters in sweet and spicy vinegar sauce.

Dim Sum, Evening Plates, and Drinks

Freshly steamed dim sum—such as juicy soup dumplings (xiaolongbao), shrimp dumplings, and Chinese chive dumplings—makes an easy addition at lunch or a great savory starter in the evening. Dinner brings a broader selection of meat dishes, including domestic beef stir-fried with green peppers (qingjiao rousi) and black vinegar sweet-and-sour pork, along with satisfying rice and noodle finishes like clam black fried rice (Fengcheng-style fried rice) and fragrant sesame dandan noodles. The drinks list complements the food well, offering Sapporo Red Star and Black Label beers, 10-year-aged Shaoxing wine by the glass, sparkling Shaoxing highballs, and a varied selection of Chinese teas.

It is a comfortable stop for nuanced Chinese cooking when exploring Ueno Park or strolling the historic streets of Yanaka.