Back in October 2016, we found a quaint little Italian restaurant in Soshigaya. We read that the reviews for this place on a Japanese site that this place was pretty good, so we decided to give it a try. We made reservations, which was recommended, as the place cannot sit that many people. Better safe than sorry! We drove there, as we heard they have parking. Well, they have “a” parking space. It is literally directly BEHIND the restaurant, so to get there, you need to drive (clockwise) around to get to the spot as it is on a one way street. So with the front door of the place on your right, drive about 150 meters and make your first right you can make, then make the next right. Go all the way down and the spot is the last parking spot on your right (before you hit the main road). It is a very small space and you need to BACK INTO the spot.
Inside the restaurant you will find a few tables, that always seem to be occupied by people. (We have been back here several times after this first time ;-)
That’s why you should make the reservation before going! They have a big, Italian, wood burning, dome style, Pizza Oven- so you know that they gotta make some good pizza. And lucky for you, they DO!
The menu is pretty simple. It has a few pasta dishes, and as you guessed, they have pizza. After looking at the menu, we wanted to order everything on it, but alas had to limit it to what our stomachs could handle. We ordered the Arugula (rocket) salad to start, the plain margarita pizza for the picky “pizza killer” daughter, the risotto, the eggplant pasta, and the pasta special of the day which was a scallops and tomato pasta dish. The waiter who will take your order is also one of the chefs in the place. He is very friendly and seems to be in charge of making the pizzas. Shortly after we ordered, the salad came out and it was a decent size, with lots of fresh yummy parmesan cheese grated on top. The pizza came out next, and looked WONDERFUL. The size is kinda small (for American standards), so you will need to order several pizzas, especially if you have several people in your party. Trust me- you will have to share the pizza, as it is really yummy. The cheese is light and refreshing, and the sauce just right. Look at the bottom of the pizza and you will see some nice char on the crust- a telltale sign of a “good pizza”. The temperature of wood burning oven they use is normally 300°C and can get up to 500°C. The fact that it is a wood burning oven, you will notice the hint of smokiness in the pizza. Once again, order several pizzas as people will eat them up real fast!
The risotto came out next and I do have to say it was one of the tastiest I have ever had! Perfectly cooked, and just the right amount of flavor. I recommend that you try the “Lemosco” sauce which is a lemon-tabasco sauce. It adds a little heat to the risotto, and just the right amount of citrus to the risotto. (I actually found this Lemosco at a local store in Kitami and use it all the time- it’s really yummy so give it a try ;-)
The scallop pasta was next and OMG- that was REALLY GOOD! The scallops were soooo sweet…soooo tender. The whole dish- so simple with scallops and tomatoes, and perfectly cooked pasta, was just brilliant! The eggplant pasta was equally delicious. The only problem I had with both of the pastas, as you might guess, the portion size is not that big. So you know all this food we ordered was eaten by 2 adults and 2 kids, and we could have ordered more! (we like to eat good food). You should not feel bad about ordering a lot of food here, so order away!
We really liked this place. The food is very good, the staff very friendly, and environment just lovely. Great place for families, and also perfect to bring a date. They also have a small table outside that can seat a couple of people as well. If you have the chance to come here, you should most surely give it a try. You will not be disappointed!
