Dondoh is Chile’s first Japanese grill. This venue, recently opened in the Chilean capital, stands out for its imposing design inspired by Japan’s ancient Izakayas. Elements such as wood, stone, and fire serve as the main protagonists. Dondoh refers to an ancient Japanese ceremony performed by farmers around the year 1500, invoking the God of Fire. The God of Fire would warm the Earth so that seeds could germinate. The fire was fed with small wooden tablets, and the flames rose along with the prayers written upon them.

The warmth of Dondoh’s fire is felt throughout the space via its open grills. Dondoh’s culinary style is based on cooking over Robatas. This is the Robatayaki or Robata technique, popularly known as the Japanese grill. Because the presence of fire is key to Dondoh, the robatas were kept on exposed bars, one in each dining room. Both were clad in local granitic flagstone. In a nod to the fire ceremony, we placed small wooden tablets with wishes over the private dining area. This space was also clad in small-format rustic stone, arranged to generate texture and warmth.

The gabled ceilings are part of the house’s original architecture and were restored to create a warm feeling that evokes traditional Japanese architecture. Banners hanging from the wooden gabled ceiling in the main dining room reflect the Japanese Indigo Movement in fabric dyeing. Indigo blue is the predominant color in the venue’s details.