Strolling down a side street of Tokyo¡¯s Nakano neighborhood one recent Sunday evening to rendezvous with friends for dinner, I pass by a side entrance to the Nakano Broadway shopping center before reaching my destination and doing a double take: I knew that the Portland, Oregon-inspired Lou, one of my favorite cafes, had begun closing in the late afternoons to let Orangutan, a dinnertime concept featuring northeastern Thai food, take over. But I still can¡¯t believe its transformation.
The bright daytime energy of the cafe now gives way to an intimate evening vibe replete with low lighting, Thai-style decor and a sign outside proclaiming the new eatery as an ¡°original jungle curry and funky music spot.¡±
The space is the childhood home of owner Daisuke Matsushima, whose career in the restaurant industry began when he opened Paddlers Coffee in 2013 in Shibuya¡¯s Sangubashi neighborhood as a popup, which got its own home in 2015 as a cafe in the quiet backstreets of nearby Nishihara. Matsushima had acquired the license to serve Stumptown Coffee from Portland, where he had lived as a teen, learning English and joining the local skateboarding community.
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