I visited a new pasta restaurant near my favorite pasta place recently. There was no parking at the restaurant, so I parked at a nearby coin parking lot and walked over. It was my first visit, and surprisingly close. It was past 12 o'clock, but I was the only customer. I looked at the menu and saw 5 lunch sets listed. Among them, "Cheese Fondue" caught my eye. I asked the owner about it, and it turned out to be a regular cheese fondue, not pasta. Since I came for pasta, I ordered the recommended Carbonara. The salad was served with anchovy dip, but it wasn't particularly memorable. What surprised me was the lukewarm water they served. It was so warm that I thought it had been sitting in the sun. When I finished the salad, the Carbonara arrived. It was made with fresh pasta, which had a nice chewy texture, but personally, I prefer a bit more black pepper. For dessert, they served sliced pound cake with whipped cream, but I would have preferred a drink like coffee. Towards the end of my meal, a pair of moms with a baby walked in, but until then, it was just the owner and me, which made me feel a bit uncomfortable. Once I finished eating, I quickly paid and left the restaurant. It's a shame, but I don't think I'll be visiting again... Thank you for the meal.

(2023.03.30) I visited a Western-style restaurant in Sasazuka, Tokyo, where I missed out on trying a spaghetti dish called "Cheese Meat" due to a small misunderstanding. This dish has been a popular menu item at the restaurant for about 10 years, and in recent years, it has gained attention for its photogenic appeal, with similar products even being sold at LAWSON as "Melting Cheese Lava-Style Pasta." While searching for "lava pasta" as a keyword, I came across a restaurant called 'ITAtoWA' in Dazaifu that offers a "Cheese-Loaded Lava Pasta," so I decided to visit there promptly. Located just a short walk from Tobu-ryo-mae Station, near the Sakamoto Nicho-me intersection on Kokubunji Street, the small restaurant has a counter with 6 seats and only one table, all managed by a chef alone. The counter, divided into two seats, quickly filled up after opening, leaving three later customers waiting in their cars. The lava pasta has been on the menu since last fall, but despite receiving media coverage, it didn't seem actively recommended. During lunchtime, other customers were ordering lunch sets with options like Carbonara, Amatriciana, Bacon and Spinach Oil Pasta, as well as the weekly pasta special "Sakura Shrimp and Snap Pea Cream Pasta," or choosing a dish from cheese fondue, along with a salad with Bagna Cauda, making for a satisfying and affordable meal. The "Cheese-Loaded Lava Pasta" I tried featured freshly boiled pasta tossed in meat sauce, topped generously with Visa cheese and torched with a burner. The chewy texture of the fresh pasta and the stretchy visual appeal of the abundant cheese were satisfying, with chunks of meat about 10mm in size in the meat sauce providing a delightful chewiness. The rich amount of cheese used added a rounded richness, but lacking the crispy, savory flavor of baked cheese, possibly due to a short cooking time or not being baked in an oven, which was disappointing.

This is the 'ITA to WA' restaurant in Dazaifu City, with a counter seating for 6 and 1 table seat. We tried the following dishes: - Cheese-rich lava pasta for 1500 yen - Shrimp tomato cream pasta for 1600 yen The lava pasta was bubbling with lots of cheese, a delight for cheese lovers. The meat sauce inside was also delicious. The shrimp tomato cream pasta had a rich shrimp flavor. The pasta had a chewy texture with thick noodles, and the portion was satisfying. They also offer lunch sets, which include a choice of pasta, salad, and dessert, making it a good deal. Thank you for the delicious meal!

Intrigued by the interesting names, I tried fresh pasta after a long time. I chose the Lava Pasta for 1500 yen, which is a combination of meat sauce and cheese fondue. It looked very hot, so I prepared myself for a possible burn in my mouth. The cheese and meat sauce were thick and delicious, blending well with the fresh pasta. For the lunch set at 1000 yen, I chose the Amatriciana (bacon and mushroom tomato sauce pasta), which was also rich and tasty. The salad with bagna cauda was a nice touch and a pleasant surprise as a complimentary gift. I ended the meal with a chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream, which was also a nice service. The Pescaatore and shrimp tomato cream pasta also caught my eye, so I may try them next time. The owner runs the place alone, so the service may take a bit longer, but overall, it was a satisfying lunch. Thank you for the meal.

I went to "ITA to WA" in Dazaifu City again. This time, I ordered the lunch set (1000 yen) with Amatriciana pasta (tomato sauce). I believe that you can't truly judge a pasta restaurant without trying their tomato sauce, so I was excited this time. First, I had the Bagna Cauda with four types of vegetables - cherry tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin. Last time, they also included potatoes and romaine lettuce, so I was a bit disappointed this time. Now, onto the main dish - the Amatriciana pasta with plenty of shiitake mushrooms, onions, and bacon. The bacon had a strong smoky flavor, adding a delicious aroma to the sauce. The black pepper and grated cheese were also just right. However, I was a bit disappointed that the sauce was too sticky. I prefer a lighter sauce, and I wish the tomato acidity was more pronounced. Maybe they prepared the sauce in advance? I think it would be even tastier if they made the sauce without bacon and added it when the order comes in to preserve the pork flavor and tomato acidity. But, I might be speaking out of turn as an amateur. Generally, people prefer a taste similar to family restaurant-style with less tomato acidity. Overall, it's a restaurant that is almost "recommended."

I revisited the "ITA to WA" restaurant in Dazaifu City that I couldn't stop thinking about. I ordered the recommended Carbonara lunch set, which comes with salad and a small dessert for 1000 yen. I was pleased to find that the salad was a Caesar salad with fresh tomatoes, carrots, and sunny lettuce, as well as cooked potatoes, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin. The Carbonara itself was quite delicious, with a strong bacon aroma and a good amount of cream and cheese. The fresh pasta was chewy and satisfying. The dessert included a rich chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. Overall, I was impressed by the quality and value of the meal, and I may return to try their tomato sauce pasta next time.

'Ita to Wa' in Dazaifu City. The lunch set from 11:30 to 14:00 includes pasta, salad, and a mini dessert for 1000 yen. You can choose from: ① Carbonara ② Amatriciana ③ Bacon and spinach oil pasta ④ Cheese fondue ⑤ Weekly pasta - on this day, it was oil pasta. I wanted to order the tomato sauce ② but I don't need dessert. So, I ordered the Pescaatore (1600 yen) from the main menu. The young owner cooks quietly without making any noise, which is surprising. The sauce turned out to be brown like demi-glace! It had two prawns, clams, a white fish that seemed like cod, and baby scallops. The taste was very strong with the flavor and richness of shrimp miso, so I think the sauce was prepared in advance for a long time. It's like a rich bouillabaisse or Americaine sauce. The pasta was fresh pasta, with a square cross-section that is not often seen. It's like tagliolini or kitara. I have never had a Pescaatore like this before. The restaurant has a great commitment to detail. But it wasn't the taste I was looking for. The seafood flavor was too strong, almost masking the tomato acidity, and the richness of the shrimp was heavy. Moreover, the crushed clam shells gave an unpleasant crunchy texture more than once. The pasta lacked the chewy texture typical of fresh pasta. The cold tea was somehow at room temperature. Maybe there's a special reason for that too? I gave it an average score, but I want to reevaluate after trying the "recommended" carbonara.

I didn't notice this restaurant's existence at all until a few days ago when I ate hamburgers at a shop two doors down and looked around to find a small shop with a narrow entrance. The location is in Sakamoto, Dazaifu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. There is no dedicated parking lot, but there seem to be places to park around. Since there is a lunch menu, the prices seem reasonable, like a pasta specialty shop. I decide to come back another day. I visited the shop on a weekday just before 12 o'clock. There are 6 seats at the counter and a small table where 4 people could sit if they squeezed in. The young male owner, in his early 30s, asked me to choose from 5 lunch menu options. I ordered the Amatriciana for 1000 yen including tax (bacon and mushroom tomato sauce pasta). The friendly owner told me to wait a bit as they boil fresh pasta. Since I had to wait, I didn't touch the vegetables (broccoli, cucumber, bell pepper, sliced ​​carrots, mini tomatoes) that were provided, as I wanted to take a photo. I tried a bit of the vegetable sauce, which had a taste and aroma of milk and garlic, and it seemed like anchovy was also used. While waiting, the pasta was ready. The rich tomato sauce, the chewy texture of the fresh noodles, the abundance of thickly sliced bacon, and the clearly visible chopped fresh tomatoes were impressive. The thick sauce coated the noodles well, with a sprinkling of a little cheese on top. I wished they had put more cheese on it, but I was too shy to ask for extra cheese as it was my first time at the shop. I couldn't be sure what kind of mushrooms were diced, but I think they were shiitake mushrooms. My mouth was delighted by the acidity of the tomato sauce. I always regret not ordering a large serving when I eat something delicious. "Delicious! Tomato sauce pasta is the best!" I thought to myself. I finished the fresh vegetables with anchovy sauce with pleasure. When I finished eating, I was told they had a small dessert cake, but I don't like sweet things, especially cakes, so I asked a female customer who came in later to have it. The young owner, who had a pleasant demeanor, mentioned that the shop, which opened in March last year, is a hidden gem targeting female customers. It's a pasta specialty shop.

This is an Italian restaurant that opened in front of the Dazaifu Government Office. I visited a friend in Dazaifu on this day, so I had lunch here along the Kokufuji Street. The interior of the restaurant has a casual feel with a counter and table seats, similar to a yakitori restaurant. Since I was alone, I sat at the counter and ordered the lunch set for 1000 yen. The lunch started with a salad, which was a bagna cauda salad on this day. For the main pasta dish, there were several options to choose from, so I decided to try the spinach and bacon oil pasta. The pasta used fresh noodles, giving it a chewy texture, and the flavor was rich, which I enjoyed. After finishing the pasta, dessert was served, which was a chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream on this day. The restaurant is located at the intersection of Sakamoto 2-chome. ITAtoWA Address: 2-1-1 Sakamoto, Dazaifu City, Building Muto 1F Business hours: 11:00-14:00, 18:00-21:00 (drinks until 20:30) Closed on Mondays and Sundays (please note) Prices, business hours, and closing days are based on the time of visit, so please check with the store when you visit. If you'd like, please click here to participate in the ranking.

I visited for dinner because the lunch was delicious. The blue cheese fondue was tasty without the strong smell, and it didn't make me feel heavy. The tomato sauce was also excellent. I'm happy that there is a place nearby where you can enjoy good food.