The client named the restaurant Tomo after his grandmother, Tomoko, and the Japanese “tomodachi”, meaning ‘friend’. Wood is a centerpiece of the space–referencing shou sugi ban, much of the interior wood has been stained a deep ebony. Oak shingles arranged like scales clad a wall running the length of the space, and contrast the strict geometry of the vertical ash slats that wrap the opposing walls. The mingling of wood throughout the space creates an understated, monochrome texture. The architecture aims to be demure and humble, letting the food be the center of the experience.