Luca Fantin and Amoroso, Tokyo

This is a tale of two Italian restaurants in Tokyo.  On one hand – Luca Fantin, in the glittering Ginza district, on the ninth floor of the Bulgari store.  And on the other – Amoroso, a neighborhood restaurant with just a dozen seats, run by one man who is not only the chef, but also the sommelier, waiter, and dishwasher.  Very, very different – but both very, very good.  Japan knows Italian food!

The setting at Luca Fantin is as glamorous as you’d expect: triple-height windows looking over the lights of Ginza, tall silver candelabras, extravagant chandeliers like cascading bubbles.

Dinner began with a champagne cart and ended with shimmering Bulgari bags being presented to us just before we stepped into the elevator; no jewels inside, but chocolates (yes, apparently Bulgari has a chocolatier).  In between, we had a selection of amuses bouches, bread with a selection of different olive oils and vinegars, six courses, and mignardises – all served by an international team in impeccable suits.

While the dishes were Italian, the ingredients were proudly Japanese.  I particularly liked the spaghetti with uni, and the Aori squid with peas.

The mignardises were Japanese with an Italian twist: walnut monaka (it’s the one in the middle!).

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Amoroso is not the kind of restaurant you stumble upon: it’s tucked on a narrow street in the Nakacho neighborhood in Shinjuku, in an even narrower building.  Fortunately my friend told me it’s one of her favorite restaurants in Tokyo, so we made a special trip!

An L-shaped dining counter faces the stove and prep areas where the chef works his magic, alternating among cooking, plating, pouring wine, and cleaning up.  He’s completely relaxed, with enough time to chat with us, despite coordinating dinner for twelve.  It felt like attending a dinner party with a rather ambitious host!

One of the fun things about the meal was the little bites the chef handed to us periodically – a fried ham and cheese roll, spoonfuls of homemade tomato paste or quattro formaggi.

Most of the courses are the same for everyone – fish tartare, soup, pasta – although various parties arrived at different times so he prepared things à la minute for each of us.  For main courses, we had the choice of beef, pork, lamb, or swordfish.

The chef also paired different wines with each course, introducing the bottles like a sommelier and ensuring everyone had generous servings and topped up glasses.

A generous spoonful of chocolate mousse was a simple but delightful finale.