Don Ciccio (ドンチッチョ)

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岩手短角牛のカルパッチョ。
Shorthorn beef carpaccio.
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仔牛トリッパと茄子とアーモンド煮”シチリア風”。
”シラクーサ風”赤ピーマンと茄子のカラマリ、トマトソース。
Sicilian-style beef tripe and aubergine with almond.
Calamari alla Siracusana. “Calamari” is ring-shaped pasta that looks like squid ring. Red bell pepper and aubergine in tomato sauce.
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白金豚ラグーとブロンテ産アーモンドのフジッリ。
”シチリア名物”イワシとウイキョウのカサレッチ。
Fusilli with Platinum pork ragu sauce and almond.
Casarecci with fennel and sardine. Traditional Sicilian dish.
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白魚のスパゲッティーニ。
岩手骨付白金豚の香草炭火焼き。
Spaghetti with Bianchetti(tiny white fish which are spawn of sardines or anchovies, not sure which).
Charcoal grilled Platinum bone-in pork with herb.
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大山地鶏と干しイチジクの”ウブリアカ”。
“Daisen” chicken and dried fig. Sweet sauce.
Right pic is my share of the 2 meat dishes.
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あさりと仔羊リドヴォーのリングイネ。
大山地鶏とカボチャのヴェスヴォオ、クリームソース。
All four of us didn’t feel quite enough….so after the main dishes we ordered some more pasta. The last two pasta were both 1.5 portion, while the ones before were all single portion.
Linguine with vongole(clam) and “ris de veau”(Lamb sweetbreads).
Vesuvio(pasta that looks like Mount Vesuvius? Just guessing…) with “Daisen” chicken and pumpkin in cream sauce.
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Zuppa Inglese. Semifreddo.
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Strawberry tiramisu. Gateau chocolat.

A famous Italian restaurant that closed down last year and re-opened with a new name. Many loyal fans apparently, one of them being my friend who tried the new place and said it was just as good as the old one. Already an impossible-to-book restaurant and you can only book two weeks in advance. Location is a bit inconvenient – quite far from both Shibuya and Omotesando station.

The food is great. All the pasta are very simple. Light and simple sauce with not much ingredients, but perfect al dente. Actually at first I thought the pasta were a little unimpressive (I love fancy sauces and fancy ingredients…) but the amazing thing was that I craved the simple, comforting taste immediately again. The pasta are not homemade though. The main dishes are pretty normal, especially the staff-recommended pork. Chicken in fig sauce is nicer.

4 of us went crazy and ordered so much food, plus 2 bottles of wine and mineral water and coffee, total was about 11000yen per person.

Atmosphere was very lively and energetic. Warm decor. A little crowded perhaps. It was full when we arrived, and when we finished around 11pm, there were still customers coming in! Appetizers and pastas came fast after we ordered, but the main dishes could be a bit slow in delivery. Despite of the negative comments I have read, the service is quite good. I am not saying this because all the staff are young and good-looking guys(which is quite a sight really ^^;;), but they know the menu well and are patient to explain to us. Also willing to split each and every one of the dishes for us. Though they didn’t do the job so well…..the portion wasn’t quite even and the ingredients were simply absent in some plates….often mine for some reason. ^^;; But definitely will go back!

Menu: 1, 2, 3, 4.
Don Ciccio

Ristorante da Nino (リストランテ・ダ・ニーノ@乃木坂)

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Lunch at a much hyped Sicilian restaurant.
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Cute tableware. The homemade bread is very good.
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前菜の盛り合わせ:
自家製アランチーニ、ミートソース入りサフランライスコロッケ。
築地直送、本日のカルパッチョ(鱒) パンテッレリア産ケーパー。
いわしのインボルティーニパン粉焼き。
ブロッコリ、レーズンの入った卵焼き。
パスタ: ボンゴレビアンコ。
Appetizer:
Arancini.
Trout carpaccio with caper.
Sarde a beccaficu: stuffed sardines with breadcrumbs.
Baked omelette with broccoli.
Pasta:
Vongole Bianco. Tastes a bit boring, great al dente though.
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お魚料理: 真鯛のオレンジソテー。
デザート: ズッパイングレーゼ。
Fish: Red sea bream saute with orange. Rather bland…
Dessert: Zuppa Inglese.
Special lunch course is 3800yen. A glass of champagne and mineral water, came up to 5200yen. The Japanese waitress is friendly and helpful, even split the bill for each of us without our asking(some of us ordered different courses). The Italian manager however is a bit of a snob. The decor is cute but quite cramp inside. A bit overpriced given the quality. I guess someone has to pay for the posh location.
Ristorante da Nino