ぱりそら
◇2nd Visit (March 2023) Let's have lunch with fresh vegetables at Italian restaurant vodacoa, where farm vegetables take center stage. It has been 9 years since the last visit, but the vegetable-focused concept remains the same! The restaurant is located in the middle of Kitahama, Yodoyabashi, Honmachi, and Sakaisuji-Honmachi. The exterior exudes a warm, natural feel with wooden accents. The interior is cozy and cafe-like, with mainly 4-person tables and a 3-seat counter in front of the kitchen. Even on a weekday past 1:30 pm, it was almost full with customers. Solo diners are usually seated at the counter. Lunch is served from Monday to Saturday from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm (closed on irregular Saturdays) (Please check the latest information on the restaurant's current operating status and hours).
◇Lunch Menu (all prices include tax)
■Special Lunch 1,300 yen (Soup, Salad, Bread or Rice)
Pan-fried Wakanoura sea bream with porcini mushroom sauce
■Pasta Lunch 1,100 yen *Extra serving 100 yen (Soup, Salad, Bread)
Spaghetti with Wagyu beef stew in demiglace sauce, Parmesan cheese, spinach
■Caesar Salad Lunch 1,200 yen (Soup, Bread)
Oven-baked chicken thigh with avocado and tomato
In addition to the above 3 lunch options, there are also 2 course menus available.
*For an additional 250 yen, you can switch to a vegetable-rich salad for the Special and Pasta lunches.
■Drinks
Coffee (HOT/ICE) 250 yen
Black tea, Iced tea 250 yen
Honey roasted tea 300 yen
Herbal tea 300 yen
Orange juice, Grapefruit juice 400 yen
Iced coffee float (homemade vanilla ice cream) 400 yen
Homemade ginger ale 580 yen
■Homemade Desserts each 400 yen
Gâteau au Chocolat with Belgian chocolate and black sugar, served with ice cream
Yuzu-flavored cheesecake, served with ice cream
Crème brûlée with burnt caramel, served with ice cream
■Homemade Ice Cream each 250 yen
Blackcurrant, Vanilla, Passion Mango, Earl Grey
During the last visit, I had a delicious chicken dish for lunch, but this time I decided to try the Pasta Lunch. First, I started with the fresh salad and soup.
◇Pasta Lunch 1,100 yen (Soup, Salad, Bread)
■Salad
Crisp lettuce at the center with cucumber, shredded carrots, purple daikon, and other colorful toppings. The dressing had a mild tangy flavor that complemented the vegetables well.
■Soup
A hearty soup with finely chopped carrots, cabbage, onions, and bacon. The bacon added a savory and salty touch, blending well with the rich flavors of the vegetables.
After the salad and soup, the pasta arrived in about 5 minutes.
■Spaghetti with Wagyu beef stew in demiglace sauce, Parmesan cheese, Matsushita's spinach, cauliflower, fresh tomatoes
The pasta was cooked al dente, and the abundance of vegetable toppings was impressive! The presence of the vegetables was striking, with cauliflower providing a sweet crunch, snap peas adding a refreshing texture, and spinach bursting with flavor. The tomato sauce, rich in fresh tomato chunks, coated the pasta well. The Parmesan cheese on top added a nice flavor. The Wagyu beef stew, cooked to perfection, added a depth of flavor to the vegetable-rich sauce. The combination of the robust Wagyu beef and the vegetable-based sauce was just right, not too overpowering.
■Bread
A small piece of focaccia with a rustic flour flavor, moist and fluffy with a good crumb. It was drizzled with olive oil.
Despite being a pasta lunch, it was a healthy meal with plenty of vegetables, perfect for those looking for a natural and flavorful pasta dish. However, the overall portion size was a bit modest. If you're craving a pasta dish that highlights quality vegetables and ingredients, this is the place to go!