Trattoria in Yushima whose big appeal is grilled meat

You may not notice this small and underground trattoria named "CARNELLINA (カルネリーナ)" in Yushima (湯島). Their signboard is small and inside is invisible...I hesitated to go down the stairs... but it was a good new finding! Not only the taste, but also the price...! Weekday lunch is available from JPY900 (starter and pasta). If you want to have grilled meat, it is JPY900, worth for paying.

Trattoria CARNELLINA 

Home-made ham and patty

Flan of foie gras (specialty) and focaccia

Spaghetti with tomato and mozalrella

Spaghetti with common mussel and dried mullet roe

Grilled canard with berry sauce (JPY900)

Espresso (JPY100)

They effectively cook ingre salt and seasoning, and the taste is very sharp. Spaghetti was really good. Also, their meat! Both cold and grilled meat were nice. Look at the beautiful grilled canard! The outside is burnt and the inside is rose. Considering the price, the quality of meat may not be so high, but chef's skill makes it delicious. My rating is 4.2 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita! 

CARNELLINA (カルネリーナ) http://hitosara.com/0006041056/   

Nice view Italian restaurant on the top of ASAHI Breweries in Asakusa

On the top floor of the famous building of ASAHI Breweries, LTD in Asakusa (浅草), there is an Italian restaurant named "La Ranarita (ラ・ラナリータ)." People just take pictures of this beer shaped building and may not notice a nice restaurant is located inside. In contrast to the bustling Asakusa town, the restaurant had few customers around 8pm on weekend.

Head office of ASAHI BREWERIES, LTD

La Ranarita

Window seat

ASAHI fresh beer and Sky Tree

Pizza with fresh tomato, basil, olive and mozzarella (JPY1,850)

Spaghetti carbonara (JPY1,850)

Wagyu beef steak (JPY5,650)

La Ranarita has been opened for long, and the atmosphere is a bit old somehow. But the view of Sky Tree is very beautiful and the high ceiling gives us sense of release. Dishes are not so sophisticated like the ones of posh restaurants, but delicious enough. Pizza was so-so, but spaghetti carbonara was creamy and rich. Most of all, wagyu beef steak was amazing. Both of the quality of beef and way of cooking seemed high. JPY5,650 was not inexpensive, but VERY tasty. If you can afford, it is recommended! As a whole...my rating is 3.6 out of 5. It is worth to visit just for seeing Sky Tree and drinking ASAHI fresh beer! Gochiso-samadeshita!

La Ranarita (ラ・ラナリータ) http://r.gnavi.co.jp/a170900/ 

Elegant Italian restaurant in Hotel Chinzanso

Chinzanso (椿山荘) is an old but elegant hotel in Edogawabashi (江戸川橋), which is famous as its beautiful large garden. Because of inconvenient access by the public transportation, Chinzanso is like a hidden place in the center of Tokyo. Slow and elegant atmosphere is there. They have 12 different restaurants and I had an opportunity to go "IL TEATRO (イルテアトロ)", an Italian restaurant.  

Sacred tree in the garden of Hotel Chinzanso

Lobby of Hotel Chinzanso

Corridor to "IL TEATRO"

"IL TEATRO"

Window seat seeing the garden

Gaspacho

Carpaccio of porgy 

Foie gras brulee

Breaｄ and grissini

Fettucine of squid ink with seafood saffron sauce

Fettucine of spinach with bolognese sauce  

Saute of cod with burdock sauce

Grilled pork

Dessert wagon

As you like!

Camomile tea with honey

Birthday plate!

IL TEATRO is a beautiful restaurant as its name suggests. Beautiful flowers are decorated. From the window, green of the garden was eye-fitting. But the atmosphere is not so formal. Yong staff provide friendly service. 

Dishes using fresh fettucine just made at the restaurant were especially delicious. Chewy texture was good. Squid ink fettucine was well fit saffron seafood creme sauce. I liked it. As for dessert, table-side service was very attractive. You can take whatever you like. Actually, I couldn't eat so much after lunch, but such presentation was exciting. 

Lunch is available from JPY3,900. Considering the cuisine and good time, the price was appropriate. Though we stayed for long with dessert, nobody advised us about time. My rating is 4.0 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

Chinzanso (椿山荘) http://hotel-chinzanso-tokyo.jp/     

A newly opened pizzeria in Yushima

On Sunday when many of small individual restaurants are closed, I found a pizzeria opened all day long in Yushima (湯島). It is "da GIORGIO (ダジョルジョ)" which has been just opened in July 2014. A young Japanese owner who trained in Napoli offers authentic Napoli-style pizzas in a casual atmosphere. They have wide variety of pizza menus.  

daGIORGIO

Potato salad (for table charge) and glass wine (chardonnay)

Pickles (JPY500)

Pizza margherita (JPY1,200)

Linguine with seafood (JPY2,700)

Pizza was tasty, indeed! Chewy texture, burnt aroma, a bit salty craft, combination of tomato sauce and mozzarella...good! On the other hand, other items were still developing and less cost-effective. Linguine with seafood was not bad, but the price was JPY2,700! I understood fresh seafood was used, but it was relatively expensive compared to pizza. I also found it exceptional that table charge (JPY300) is charged even at lunch time in such a casual pizzeria. Pizza is good...a bit regrettable! My rating is 3.2 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

da GIORGIO (ダジョルジョ)　https://www.facebook.com/da.giorgio.tokyo　     

Nice pasta restaurant at Ginza Mitsukoshi

On the 11th floor of Ginza Mitsukoshi Annex (銀座三越 新館 see previous visit), there is a restaurant named "SESTO SENSO (セストセンソ)" specializing pasta and antipasto. Mr. Hidemasa Yamamoto, a Japanese famous chef who served as an executive chef of inaugural dinners of US President Reagan, Bush and Clinton and of Mandarin Oriental Tokyo produces this restaurant. However, different from the image, variety of tasty fresh pasta are available in a casual atmosphere at reasonable price. 

SESTO SENSO

Inside

Focaccia and a glass of white wine (chardonnay)

Starter

Squid ink pasta 

Carbonara with crab

Grilled porgy

Grilled wagyu beef

Ice cake with peach compote

Cafe

The taste is modern and light, but robust. Their specialty, fresh pasta was definitely tasty. Squid ink pasta was chewy and delicious. Main dishes of both fish and beef were also good. Set menu is available at lunch time at JPY1,580, 1,980 and 3,280 (the above photos are of JPY3,280). Service is quick. Baby is also welcomed. My rating is 3.7 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

SESTO SENSO (セストセンソ) http://www.ginzadining.com/restaurant/detail/sestosenso/index.html 

Italian restaurant and cafe in the Ueno Park

First half of December in Tokyo is the end of Autumn and beginning of Winter. Still, we enjoy beautiful colored leaves here and there. Ueno Park (上野公園), where a lot of museums, music hall, zoo and Tokyo University of the Arts (東京藝術大学) are located is one of the good spots for seeing autumn leaves in Tokyo. In particular on weekday, we can enjoy calm and peaceful atmosphere of the Park thanks to relatively fewer visitors.  

Shinobazu Pond and Sky Tree

Tokyo University of the Arts

Beautiful gingko trees

The Park is dotted with restaurants and cafes and I haven't visited all yet even though I live just in front.  One day, I had a chance to try an Italian restaurant named "Le quatro stagioni (レ クアトロ スタジオーニ)" and a newly opened "PARK SIDE CAFE (パークサイドカフェ)" with a friend. At lunch time, the Italian restaurant offers set meal at JPY1,200 including salad, soup,pasta or pizza and drink.  The portion might not be big enough for men, but as a casual lunch for women, it was good.  Pizza baked by a big oven was a napoli-style and the chewy texture was delicious. My favorite combination, four types of cheese (especially、gorgonzola!) and honey was dainty!   　

Exterior of "Le quattro stagioni"

Inside

Salad and soup

Pizza margherita

Pizza quatro formaggio

PARK SIDE CAFE is located near the National Museum of Western Arts (国立西洋美術館) and Tokyo Bunka Kaikan (東京文化会館), a big hall for music, opera, ballet, etc. A big STARBUCKS is just in front of the cafe, but  I personally recommend this local cafe rather than the global chain for feeling culture and arts of the Ueno Park. 

PARK SIDE CAFE

Inside

Cake set and fresh herb tea

PARK SIDE CAFE is a woody and comfortable cafe. Through the big windows, the park view is very nice. The price of drinks is a bit higher than chain cafes, but if you order a cake set around JPY1,000, the total cost might be similar or much cheaper. Fresh herb tea was very impressive with full of herb's aroma. Pair tart and cheese cake were not bad at all. Seating in this good location was value for money. If you come to the Ueno Park, why don't you try?

Le quatro stagioni (レ クアトロ スタジオーニ） http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g490402/
PARK SIDE CAFE (パークサイドカフェ) http://www.create-restaurants.co.jp/shop/index.php?controller=FrontCrShop&action=shop_show&id=648&page=