Osteria La Cicerchia @ Kyōmachibori

Olive all’ Ascolana (fried sausage-stuffed olives)

Spelt salad

Ham and salami

Porchetta salad

Vegetable salad

Beef meatballs in tomato sauce

Ricotta and spinach ravioli

Bacon and beans spaghetti

Zucchini and Parmigiano tagliatelle

Homemade salsiccia and beans

Tucked away on the 3rd floor of a nondescript building on the north side of Ōsaka’s Utsubo Park, Osteria La Cicerchia is a charming Italian restaurant specialising in the local cuisine of the Marche region.

Despite being a one-woman show performed from a tiny kitchen, a variety of tasty dishes based on this rustic cuisine, such as the meat-stuffed olive frites, ricotta and spinach ravioli, and homemade salsiccia and beans, can be paired with a selection of beers and wines hailing from the same region of the boot to create a meal memorable for its satisfyingly bold flavours.

With only limited counter seating and a lone private dining room available, reservations are essential.

Osteria La Cicerchia

06 6441 0731

 

Fregoli @ Ebisu

Oyster appetizer

Liver paté

White asparagus in butter and parmesan

Blowfish and courgette tempura

Charcoal grilled venison with watercress and simmered lotus root

Ranked among Tabelog’s Top 100 Renowned Italian Tokyo Restaurants, chef Tomohiro Kai’s Fregoli is a cosy affair specializing in simple, robust Italian cooking with a focus on Kumamoto horse, game meats and hearty seasonal pastas.

A selection of delicious world wines complement these bold tasting dishes, which can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner while relaxing amidst the eclectic mix of movie and music memorabilia adoring the dining room.

Fregoli

03 5423 1225

 

Mama Sushi @ Ichikawa

Chūtoro and iwashi

Ika and madai

Aji

Kanpachi and ika

Kohada

Torotaku

Akami, kanpachi, chūtoro

Salmon

Hokkigai

Dashimaki tamago

Ika and shimesaba

Yamagobō temaki

Kanpachi, ika, akami

Kanpachi

Chūtoromaki

Tucked away in an aging, multi-tenant building opposite Ichikawa station, Mama Sushi is a real gem, providing high quality sushi, great cost performance and wonderful Shōwa-retro vibes.

In business since the early 1970s, this venerable sushi-ya’s aging facade and faded window display can feel a little intimidating. However, for those brave enough to cross the threshold, a fun and delicious indulgence in fresh, chunky sushi washed down with quaffable Nihonshu awaits.

Mama Sushi

047 323 2783

 

Hokkai @ Oyamadai

Chicken stock soup

Ginger roast

Gyōza

Fried rice

Kimchi pork

Liver niratame

Meat niratame

Miso rāmen

An old favourite and perennial reason to visit Oyamadai’s Happy Road shōtengai, Hokkai is a popular Chinese eatery known for its delicious machi chūka standards and excellent cost performance.

As well as its much admired discount set lunches and nostalgic Shōwa aesthetics, the sizeable gyōza, moreish fried rice and rich tasting miso rāmen are not to be missed.

Hokkai

03 3705 8255

 

Hyōtan Zushi @ Tenjin

Engawa, chūtoro, ika

Aburi salmontoro, tai, kanpachi

Hakkaisan Nihonshū

Jōhosomaki

Chūtoro, kanpachitoro

Tai, kanpachi, aburisalmontoro, ika, anago

Negitoro temaki

Ika izezukuri

Chūtoro

Tai, kanpachi

Oshinko temaki, negitoro temaki

Dating back to 1964, Hyōtan Zushi is a splendid Fukuoka sushi-ya specialising in generous portions of “cheap and delicious sushi” and seasonal seafood (mostly sourced from the local Genkai Sea), described by a diner with three decades of visits under their belt as a “consistently exceptional dining experience.”

An oft cited guidebook entry, and popular among locals, daily queues are the norm and waits lengthy, ranging from 60 to 90 minutes. Arriving at 10:30am for the 11:30am opening usually guarantees entry at the first sitting. We, along with Hakata locals, usually shun such queues, but the heightened anticipation and eventual dining experience are worth it.

Spread across two floors, the bright, clean and surprisingly spacious interior provides counter, table and horigotatsu seating, tended to by a team of hospitable floor staff and affable sushi chefs. Menus are available in English, Japanese and Korean.

Hyōtan Zushi

092 722 0010