139th restaurant review! A restaurant I was curious about - IL GiOTTO. [Course Contents] 12,000 yen (tax included) - Swordfish Carpaccio - Homemade Ham and Burrata Bruschetta - Scallop and Butterbur Pasta - Orecchiette with 10 types of seasonal green vegetables - Grilled White Asparagus - Omi Beef Sirloin *Drink pairing with wine♪ Total of around 20,000 yen per person. Every dish was truly delicious and impressive. Especially, the signature ham bruschetta at this restaurant was amazingly tasty! The fluffy Aino Pork ham with the aroma and spiciness of wasabi on top was a perfect match. The combination of burrata cheese and bread underneath the ham created the best bruschetta. Each dish highlighted the ingredients to the fullest with perfect cooking and seasoning, impressing with every plate. The wine pairing complemented the dishes, making you want more of both, a fantastic marriage of flavors. The wine selection was excellent! I would love to visit this restaurant again, although I hope it doesn't become too difficult to book due to its excellence. I highly recommend it for special occasions or anniversaries. Location: 5-21-9 Komazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo Access: 15-minute walk from Komazawa Station Business Hours: 18:00-22:30 Closed on Tuesdays Payment: Cash, Credit Cards Number of Seats: 16 seats Tabelog: TOP5000 Selection #ilgiotto #イルジョット #イルジョットイタリアン #ItalianCourse #AinoPork #SetagayaItalian #SetagayaGourmet #Setagaya #KomazawaUniversityItalian #KomazawaUniversityGourmet #KomazawaUniversity #TokyoItalian #TokyoGourmet #PopularRestaurantsInTokyo #ReservationRequired #Recommended #Italian #Wine #Marriage

"Il Giotto" heard rumors of exquisite Italian cuisine with high-quality aged meat and perfect cooking. Visited this standalone restaurant run by a couple, with a stylish interior reminiscent of Europe. Opted for the chef's special course. Particularly impressive was the specialty dish "Bruschetta with homemade ham, wasabi, and burrata cheese." The ultra-thin slices of homemade pork ham melted in the mouth, combined with rich burrata cheese and wasabi for a delightful experience. Both pasta dishes we tried were delicious, showcasing a high level of quality beyond just the meat. The beef we had, featuring Akage beef, Keisan beef, and white asparagus, was sourced from a Shiga butcher known to supply only select restaurants. The Keisan beef, reared again for enhanced flavor, had a unique taste and tenderness, with a distinct richness and depth as you chew. The dessert was a custard pudding. A hidden gem for Italian cuisine lovers. #IlGiotto #KomazawaUniversityGourmet #Italian #TokyoItalian #DeliciousItalian #FoodiesUnite #Foodstagram #FoodiesConnect #FoodTerrorgram #Foodiegram #Foodstagrammer #FoodTerrorism #GourmetTravel #DeliciousnessBringsHappiness #FoodieFriendsWanted #GourmetClub #FoodieGirls #FoodieBoys #ConnectWithFoodies #KantoGourmet #FoodReviewGram #GourmetReport #FoodWriter #FoodieInformation #TokyoFoodScene"

This restaurant is located about a 15-minute walk from Komazawa-daigaku Station. I was recommended by a friend but didn't have the chance to visit until now. I wish they would stop using the online reservation and payment system. The omakase course costs 15,950 yen and includes dishes like carpaccio, sea bream, homemade ham bruschetta, burrata, coppa with wasabi, pasta with surf clam and shepherd's purse, smoked ayu and kujo green onion risotto, orecchiette, seasonal greens, 14-vegetable sauce, white asparagus, Sicilian pistachio creme brulee, and more. The service is quite slow, but the food is delicious and well-made. Personally, I loved the homemade ham bruschetta. The smoked ayu and kujo green onion risotto and orecchiette were also outstanding. The main meat dishes were excellent, especially the domestically produced beef sirloin. It's a place to visit when you have plenty of time to spare. I would like to revisit if I have the chance.

●Visit 1 time based on a friend's recommendation, I went to an Italian restaurant near Komazawa University with my daughter. In terms of taste, it was delicate and carefully selected ingredients, more of a sophisticated Italian style in the urban setting of Japan rather than feeling the regions of Italy. We had the omakase course for 15,000 yen, which included red snapper and golden eye snapper carpaccio. The ingredients were amazing, especially the golden eye snapper, which was on par with a high-end sushi restaurant in Fukuoka. The bread also had a rich flavor as you chew. I wish there was olive oil provided. The bruschetta with homemade ham, wasabi, and burrata cheese seemed to be a specialty of the restaurant. The homemade ham was thinly sliced and had a delicate flavor. The HR-class Coppa di Testa, a ham made from various parts of homemade pork with shaved cheese, had a slightly strong pork fat impression. The smoked ayu and chicken risotto was fantastic, with a complex taste profile. The texture of the rice (maybe barley included?) was also excellent. The pasta with surf clam, kujo negi (Japanese leek), and tomato was made from a huge surf clam, and the umami flavor was outstanding with a wonderful noodle texture. The 3B Hit, charcoal-grilled Japanese beef and domestic beef (12 years) rib roast with white asparagus and cauliflower sauté, had the umami of domestic beef without too much fat, and the grilling method was top-notch, crispy on the outside while moist inside, truly HR-class. The dessert was a rich pudding. They also provided a solid selection of wines in glasses, which was appreciated. If you want to enjoy a delicate urban Italian cuisine made with good ingredients, this restaurant would be the first choice on your list.

This restaurant is located about a 15-minute walk from Komazawa-daigaku Station, near Komazawa Park. It seems to be a popular spot among locals and this was my first visit with my foodie friends. It seems to have made it to the top 100 restaurants since 2023! The restaurant is cozy and welcoming. We ordered a course menu and drinks a la carte. We started with a toast with sparkling wine. The carabinero and golden snapper carpaccio was outstanding, with the carabinero being particularly delicious and substantial. The homemade bruschetta with prosciutto, burrata cheese, and wasabi was amazing, with the prosciutto melting in your mouth. The Loire white asparagus oven-baked dish, topped with cheese, showcased the juiciness of the asparagus and the arrival of spring. The white sauce, made with four types of cheese including Parmigiano and Gruyère, was smooth and cheesy. The ayu and butterbur sprout risotto had a pleasant bitterness from the butterbur sprouts. The Kagoshima black wagyu sirloin was very fresh, served with grilled new onions and bamboo shoots. Although the meat was delicious, I personally found it slightly tough to chew due to the presence of many tendons. The handmade pasta dish with squid and tomato or cheek meat ragu sauce was superb, with the short pasta being delightfully chewy. The gâteau au chocolat with brown sugar ice cream, featuring rum-infused cream, was delicious.

An Italian restaurant located along Komazawa Koen Street. The white facade is eye-catching. You can enjoy aged meat and handmade pasta from "Sakaeya". The interior has a stylish and warm atmosphere. We had the 12000 yen course. We had the following dishes: Carabinero and Kinmedai carpaccio, Bruschetta with freshly sliced prosciutto, White asparagus grilled with four types of cheese, Risotto with sweetfish and fuki buds, Kagoshima sirloin aged for 24 days, Cheek meat ragu with Omi beef and squid ink, Black sugar gelato and Gateau chocolat. The food was delicious, with a good balance of flavors and textures. The course composition was good and offered good value for money. The service was also good, allowing us to enjoy a leisurely meal.

Chef Naofumi Takahashi's Italian restaurant Il Giotto near Komazawa University Station. Visited as one of the newly selected Italian Top 100 Restaurants for 2023 (reservation required before selection). The highly acclaimed prosciutto and Burrata cheese were incredibly delicious and impressive. The seafood appetizers were also very tasty (although the yellow lighting made it difficult to take photos). However, the disappointment came with the main meat dish that was highly praised online and eagerly anticipated. Even to an amateur eye, it was noticeable that something was off with the meat served as the main dish. The question arises: why would professionals serve such a crucial main meat dish as it is? The closing pasta dish, a classic Bolognese, was flawless as expected. Trying it made me realize that the meat here was also lacking. I have visited many Michelin-starred and Top 100 Italian restaurants, but for the first time, I left the Bolognese untouched. My companion felt the same way. Since the restaurant was selected as one of the Top 100, I hope they will carefully select their ingredients with a professional eye in the future. My apologies to the restaurant's fans.

I visited "Il Giotto" located near Komazawa Park. The access is about a 20-minute walk from Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line Komazawa University Station. It is a white house restaurant facing Komazawa Park Street. The interior is a stylish space that evokes Europe. The white tablecloths add a sense of cleanliness. It was opened in August 2002. Here are the dishes we had today: ○ Amberjack Carpaccio with red radish, octopus, and bluefin tuna Carpaccio ○ Homemade ham bruschetta with burrata cheese and Hokkaido mountain wasabi ○ Homemade hand-cut pasta with abalone and fuki buds The pasta is chewy and delicious with the sauce. ○ Cod and shirako acqua pazza It is a collaboration between parent and child. The light and delicate cod and the tender shirako. ○ 20-day aged charcoal-grilled Omi beef rump The Omi beef grilled over charcoal is tender and packed with flavor. ○ Homemade milk gelato and fromage blanc pound cake The coffee is served in a cute floral cup. I had a delicious and relaxing time. Thank you for the meal.

The dry autumn breeze gently enveloped the streets of Komazawa. It has become quite cool recently, and the sun sets early. The restaurant is located about a 7-minute walk from Komazawa Daigaku Station, perfect for a leisurely stroll. The building is predominantly white, with the second floor as a residence and the first floor as the restaurant. Inside, there are 5-6 warmly lit tables. It seems to be run by a couple, and the separation of work and living spaces is neatly done. The ordered course meal (12,000 yen) included: - The first appetizer consisted of amberjack and yellowtail sashimi with onions, particularly delicious yellowtail. - The second appetizer featured burrata cheese topped with homemade ham and wasabi as an accent, a classic dish that was so delicious it left me speechless. - The fish dish was a superb dish of Spanish mackerel and eggplant fritters, perfectly seasoned to bring out the fish's flavor while remaining light. - The pasta dishes included one with shrimp and porcini mushrooms, the fresh and plump shrimp complementing the oil sauce well, and another with goat cheese short pasta, delivering a rich flavor and unique aroma. - The meat dish was Kagoshima beef, with a crispy exterior and juicy, flavorful lean meat that paired perfectly with the salt. Among the meat dishes I've had recently, this one stands out. - For dessert, a pistachio pudding with a smooth texture that was delicious. The beer and wine selections were excellent. This Italian restaurant is undoubtedly one of the best I've visited this year. The dishes are truly outstanding, and I would definitely want to visit again. If I were to point out one flaw, it would be that when the restaurant gets busy, there can be quite a long wait between each dish as the couple manages the place, so it took over 3 hours in total. This is an area that definitely needs improvement. Nonetheless, the taste is undeniably delicious, highly recommended.

This is my first visit since they relocated. The new location is a lovely house diagonally across the street from the previous restaurant. Upon entering through the entrance, I felt like I was invited to a friend's home, and enjoyed the meal in a wonderful atmosphere. It seems they only offer a chef's course menu, so I went with that. The creatively arranged dishes were delicious, especially the meat which seemed to be aged in-house. It's recommended for its taste, but it's a bit disappointing that the portion of meat per dish is too small. The dishes I had this time were as follows: - Antipasto of mantis shrimp, yellowfin tuna, and amberjack. Mantis shrimp is quite rare. - Bruschetta with prosciutto, burrata, and LeHoullier. The prosciutto is made from "Ainou Natural Pork" raised by students from the pig farming department of Ainou Gakuen Agricultural High School in Mie Prefecture. It was delicious with a minimal gaminess and a wonderfully melting fat. - Zucchini flowers stuffed with mozzarella, Awaji Island fritto of conger eel. - Cavatelli with garlic scapes, pine nuts, and sardines. Cavatelli is a handmade short pasta that looks like small hot dog buns. - Sesame bread. - Pappardelle with pigeon ragout, summer truffle. I wished there was more pappardelle, as it was so delicious. - Charcoal-grilled Okinawa beef aged for 18 months, with asparagus. The meat was delicious! Of course, the asparagus was tasty too, but the meat portion was too small. I think having more meat would definitely be better. - Panna cotta with Okinawan black sugar lentils. - Pistachio pudding. The taste is as good as it looks. [Today's drinks] - Brut Nature Cuvee 60 Casa Caterina - Campora 2010 Falchini - Tre Soli Tre Grappa Di Barolo Berta 2013

I visited IL GiOTTO with a rating of 3.62 on Tabelog. The location is near Komazawa University, in a great spot near the park. The exterior is a white building blending into the cityscape. The interior is truly Italian, with an open kitchen, table seating, and a great atmosphere. The owner trained in Bologna, Northern Italy, offering authentic Northern Italian cuisine. The omakase course includes wine pairing, featuring dishes like horse mackerel and bluefin tuna carpaccio, prosciutto, wasabi bruschetta, fried fugu, udo, artichoke, pasta with surf clam and butterbur sprout, squid ink penne, grilled white asparagus and fava beans, Omi beef loin, panna cotta, and espresso coffee. Meat is essential in Italian cuisine, and the charcoal-grilled rare Omi beef loin with a crispy exterior and juicy center is a highlight. Enjoying it with salt, pepper, olive oil, and vegetables is pure bliss. The pasta, white asparagus, and carpaccio are all delicious and of high quality. A must-try is the prosciutto and wasabi bruschetta, a true specialty that is incredibly tasty. Isn't it a great restaurant as rumored?

- Chef's Course ¥13,750 - Carpaccio of fresh tuna from Oma, saury, marinated sardines: The refreshing taste of tuna with perilla seeds, thickly sliced saury with salt and myoga, sardines with a rich oily flavor! - Homemade ham bruschetta: The fat from the ham melts in your mouth~! The juicy burrata cheese pairs perfectly with the ham, and the mountain wasabi adds a nice touch! This was the most delicious dish! - Charcoal-grilled eel: They prepared it from a live eel until evening! The fatty eel melts in your mouth with refreshing eggplant and sudachi. - Handmade shrimp pasta: The chewy texture of the pasta is a perfect match! - Porcini mushroom pasta: You could choose between cream or oil base. The cream base with short pasta has a nice aroma of porcini, with a smooth cream and a peppery accent. The oil base has large pieces of porcini for a satisfying chew! - Kagoshima beef sirloin: Pretty average. - Chestnut crème brûlée / Pistachio crème brûlée: Love it! I want to go back again ♡

Visited with a friend from Shizuoka. This friend is close with Chef Takahashi and got us introduced. This time, my friend requested the meat special, which turned out to be aged meat special. All the meat was aged by Sakae-ya from Shiga. We enjoyed meat where moisture had evaporated, proteins had broken down, and the umami of red meat had increased. The first dish was prosciutto and fermented butter bruschetta. I asked for seconds, but was of course denied. The Omi beef liver sauté was delicious, with a rich umami flavor, lightly seasoned with salt. The aroma of the aged meat sausage was amazing. Omi beef harami was exceptional. Thick pasta with tomato sauce. The seared Aino pork with salt and pepper was outstanding. The meat flakes were dried to the extreme, thinly shaved, and used for broth. The dessert pudding had a rich vanilla flavor. The homemade lemon and honey juice was also delicious. Everything was delicious! Chef Takahashi's stubbornness is actually a good thing. Perhaps only an eccentric person can create such delicious dishes.

An Italian restaurant run by a couple, which might be the perfect place for a date night. The restaurant is spacious with only four tables, creating a semi-private atmosphere. It feels like a hidden gem and is extremely cozy. The dishes were all delicious. The course menu costs around 10,000 yen per person, but the homemade ham from Aino Natural Pork, lobster, white asparagus, Japanese beef, and French lamb were all served, offering great value for money. The quality of the dishes could easily justify a price of 15,000 yen. The wine pairing was surprisingly affordable at 5,000 yen. They serve indigenous grape varieties from various regions of Italy to complement the dishes. While not high-end wines, they were of excellent quality and paired well with the food. It was a very enjoyable course for wine enthusiasts. The dishes we had included: Red snapper carpaccio with a nice umami flavor and refreshing accent of myoga; Homemade ham from Aino Pork and burrata bruschetta that was the best ham ever, with a perfect balance of meaty umami and creamy sweetness; Pufferfish fritters served with a slightly spicy tomato and caper sauce, showcasing the full potential of the pufferfish; Spaghetti with lobster in arrabbiata sauce, where the freshness of the lobster and the wheaty flavor of the pasta were delightful; White asparagus with soft-boiled egg and black truffle from Loire, France, which was incredibly tender and flavorful; Grilled Japanese beef and French lamb cooked over high heat, giving a charred aroma and a crispy texture, with exceptional taste and perfectly balanced seasoning; Green orecchiette with seasonal vegetables, a special pasta dish inspired by a regional dish from Puglia, featuring a vibrant mix of green vegetables and homemade orecchiette with a delightful texture; and a simple yet delicious chocolate cake dessert. The restaurant has a welcoming atmosphere suitable for families and special occasions.

I received a message from a rather eccentric person who grills eels deep in the mountains of Shizuoka, saying, "There's a really quirky chef in Komazawa, but the Italian food there is incredibly delicious." If even a quirky person approves of it, it must be quite promising and exciting. I must go check it out. Chef Naofumi Takahashi studied in Bologna, Northern Italy, and opened his restaurant in 2002 after returning to Japan. Later, in 2011, he moved to this location. Komazawa is known for its nice environment, but surprisingly, it's not very convenient in terms of transportation if you're not near the station. It takes a strong belief to keep going in such a location. The bruschetta with fermented butter and prosciutto, as well as the bruschetta with Aino Pork prosciutto, were both delicious. Aino Pork, a brand I really love, was exceptional! The pasta with Hokkigai (surf clam) in white asparagus soup was also delightful. All the dishes were delicious, but the meat was truly outstanding! When I was told it was "Keisan-gyu" (a type of Japanese beef), I felt a bit disappointed, but as soon as the aroma reached my nostrils when it was cooked, I realized my foolishness. Wow, what a great aroma! It was incredibly delicious, with no hint of unpleasant smell, and the meat was full of flavor. What was I thinking, avoiding "Keisan-gyu" until now? It seems that proper aging can bring out the true potential of the beef. The meat was so delicious that even the grappa was tasty, and I ended up drinking too much. The chef was just a really nice person!

In addition to the classic bruschetta, this time I tried fish as my main dish for the first time. The meat was so delicious that it took quite a while to get to the fish. I chose tilefish for the fish dish. Since it's a fatty fish, I had it roasted. They added plenty of Western and Japanese herbs, including shiso, for a juicy finish. The herbs helped make the fatty fish light and easy to eat. The side of potatoes was fluffy and sweet. With both the meat and fish dishes being excellent, there really wasn't a single flaw to be found.

This was my first visit here, and it was a gathering to eat meat provided by Mr. Arimori from Shiga Sakaeya! The Ainoshi Pork prosciutto came out first and looked beautiful! When I took a bite, the ham melted in my mouth with an indescribable sweetness that was amazing! The Omi beef harami cutlet was also exquisite, with a texture and taste that didn't seem like harami at all! Everything I ate was truly delicious! Chef Takahashi's personality was great, and I definitely want to visit again!

The pork cutlet made with Aino pork is perfect in terms of the fine texture of the meat, low melting point and tenderness of the fat, and cooking. It might be my favorite among all pork dishes. The first time I tried the seafood carpaccio, I was amazed by how exceptionally high the quality was. The tuna could easily be served at a sushi restaurant. The quality of the seafood is also outstanding, so next time I want to focus on ordering seafood dishes.

This time, we started with a Caprese salad made with homemade ricotta cheese and sweet tomatoes. The freshness shines through, as expected from something made from scratch. The pasta dish was Orecchiette with a shrimp-infused broth. While broccoli sauce is a common choice for Orecchiette, the tomato sauce worked perfectly as well. The chewy texture of the pasta held its own against the shrimp's flavor. For the main course, we had pre-ordered the roast turkey. The chilled turkey was tender and delicate, with a unique flavor profile between the breast and thigh meat, and a rustic aroma near the bones. It was a delightful experience savoring the charm of turkey, which is not typically enjoyed on a regular basis.

The oversized surf clam and butterbur shoot tomato sauce pasta, made with surf clam of the level used in sushi restaurants, is outstanding. The texture and flavor vary greatly depending on the part of the clam. From a slightly firm texture to a chewy consistency. The main dish is lamb. It had no gaminess, and the charcoal-grilled aroma was perfect, with a nice sear. When you cook good meat well, it seems like a textbook example of a dish that becomes powerful with just salt and pepper seasoning.

The MVP of this meal was the large fresh porcini mushroom. Whether you enjoy the texture of the stalk and the softness of the cap while grilling, or savor the aroma to the fullest by having it with pasta, it's a perfect match with oil and fat in Western-style dishes. Don't underestimate the tomato sauce—it's not just any tomato sauce, it's of high concentration and truly "Il Giotto" quality. The main dish was the red beef thigh. While the lean meat was firm, the perfectly cooked part melted in the mouth. The accompanying lily root was crispy and delightful. When the ingredients are this good, sauce is unnecessary and not a problem at all. The freshly baked gâteau au chocolat, with its rich flavor, was very satisfying. It's a restaurant where you always find yourself pleasantly struggling to decide what to order next.