Everything was exquisite, including the Rossini and risotto. We started with chilled ajillo of Italian tomatoes and charcoal-grilled shirasu, served with baguette. The sweetness of the juicy Italian tomatoes harmonized beautifully with the fragrant savoriness of the charcoal-grilled shirasu. It had the refreshing flavor unique to a chilled dish, and the baguette generously soaked in garlic oil was outstanding too. It also paired wonderfully with white wine. The main course was charcoal-grilled 黒毛和牛 Rossini. The 黒毛和牛 was fragrantly grilled over charcoal, moist and tender with concentrated, rich flavor. The foie gras and sauce came together in a luxurious dish that let us fully enjoy its pairing with red wine. And the dish you absolutely must try when visiting this restaurant is its signature balsamic risotto. Apparently, it is prepared using a recipe passed down at the renowned restaurant in Modena, Italy, Ristorante Europa 92, a restaurant associated with Luciano Pavarotti. The richness of generous amounts of Parmigiano Reggiano, the full aroma of long-aged balsamic vinegar, and its deep sweet-tart flavor harmonized perfectly. Its simplicity let the ingredients and technique shine—a signature dish unique to this restaurant. This time, we paired the food with a fresh Chardonnay and a fruit-forward Appassimento red wine. Both matched the dishes wonderfully, making it a thoroughly satisfying dinner to the very end.

+3

I visited 「炭焼イタリアン MINORI 神楽坂」, a 1-minute walk from 飯田橋 Station. It's a restaurant with a calm atmosphere in a back alley of 神楽坂. You can watch the wood-fire cooking in the open kitchen and enjoy the live action. Its appeal lies in its careful cooking techniques, using charcoal, firewood, wood chips, or straw to suit each ingredient. The distinctive aroma of wood fire brought out the ingredients' deliciousness, making every dish memorable. The 「黒毛和牛とフォアグラのロッシーニ」 was especially outstanding. The 黒毛和牛 was very tender and paired beautifully with the rich foie gras. The signature 「バルサミコリゾット」 recreates a traditional Italian recipe that they say can only be tasted here in Japan. Its balance of moderate acidity and umami was wonderful and left a strong impression. The dessert, 「MINORI名物クラシックティラミス」, was rich yet melted lightly in the mouth, making it delicious even after the meal. The latte art on the caffè macchiato was lovely too, and I enjoyed a comfortable time right to the end. I also had red and white wines this time, both of which matched the dishes well and made the meal even more enjoyable. It's a wonderful restaurant where you can feel the care given to the food, space, and service. Recommended for dates, anniversaries, girls' gatherings, or any time you want something a little special. I'd love to visit again.

+3

The other day I visited 炭焼イタリアン MINORI神楽坂 near 神楽坂 Station. I enjoyed the restaurant's recommended dishes and matching wines à la carte! First, chilled ajillo of Italian tomatoes and charcoal-grilled shirasu🦐 The Italian tomatoes packed with sweetness and shirasu carrying a distinct charcoal aroma harmonized beautifully in the cold oil. It was a wonderfully balanced dish and paired amazingly with red wine😳✨ Second was charcoal-grilled 黒毛和牛 Rossini🥩 Apparently it's a popular dish here, and it was incredibly soft and melting, really authentic. Again, it went so well with wine、、🍷 Finally, balsamic risotto🧀 Despite being a cream-cheese-style risotto, it unusually had a noticeable balsamic acidity, with the tartness and cream coming together beautifully. An amazing dish!! They call this a miraculous risotto that you absolutely must try when you visit. Apparently, this special dish is made from a unique recipe the chef inherited from a renowned risotto restaurant while training in Italy✨ Near the station in 神楽坂, in a calm, hideaway-like space, it's perfect for dates, anniversaries, and grown-up dining!

+3

An Italian restaurant that opened in the basement of a building just up the 神楽坂 slope. It had opened a little while ago, but I'd hesitated because it mainly offered course-style dinners. It seemed they had started serving lighter lunch sets, so seeing the sign on the street reassured me. The interior was calm. It's a large restaurant with a counter surrounding the wood-grain kitchen and spacious table and sofa seating. An experienced staff member showed us in. The lunch menu had several sets combining pasta and main courses, but we focused on pasta and ordered 【Pasta set: chilled capellini with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and prosciutto】1,500 yen【Pasta set: broccoli and shirasu peperoncino】1,500 yen About 5 minutes later, the iced coffee and salad arrived first, one after the other. We enjoyed the refreshing dressing. After that, however, the next dishes took ages. The chilled capellini arrived 25 minutes later, followed by the peperoncino another 5 minutes after that. The chilled capellini was delicious, with the very fine, chilled-firm pasta well coated in a rich tomato sauce with strong sweetness and acidity. The salty prosciutto also matched this tangy sauce well, making it refreshing to eat. The peperoncino was also delicious, with a lovely fragrant garlic flavor, pronounced saltiness, and a distinct taste of the sea from the shirasu. But we had waited so long that we had to rush through the food, and it was disappointing that we couldn't simply enjoy its flavors. Other customers seemed to have ordered multiple dishes in course-style meals, and those appeared to be coming out smoothly. Overall, it felt like a waste of time, and the serving speed was disappointing. Honestly, I don't want to return.

+3

I enjoyed a stylish Italian lunch in 神楽坂. The interior has a calm atmosphere and is very clean. The lunch course began with freshly baked focaccia, followed by an appetizer of bigfin reef squid and colorful vegetables, tomato pasta with bacon and onions, and charcoal-grilled domestic skirt steak. Every dish was carefully prepared and delicious. The skirt steak in particular had a lovely charcoal aroma and was very satisfying. I also enjoyed espresso gelato and peach tea after the meal, leaving me thoroughly satisfied right to the end. The lunch course is in the 4,000-yen range, and considering the food and stylish space, I think it offers good value. Recommended for dates, girls' gatherings, or a slightly special lunch.

+3