My favorite Italian restaurant, Il Lato, has opened a sister store called Scaglia in Kagurazaka. The name means "scales" in Italian, which suggests a strong emphasis on seafood, just like Il Lato. The restaurant has six counter seats and about twenty table seats, providing a more casual atmosphere compared to Il Lato. Chef Atsushi Ishikawa honed his skills at renowned establishments like Ristorante Aroma-fresca, and after being mentored by Chef Shigeki Kohi from Il Lato, he took charge of this kitchen. There’s no wine list; instead, you can consult with the sommelier to choose your wine. Most bottles are priced around 10,000 yen. I believe she used to work at Il Lato, and her warm demeanor remains unchanged. The appetizer was dried cod, where the fish's umami combined beautifully with the saltiness of the roe, making the bubbles of sparkling wine flow effortlessly. The mackerel was just fatty enough and paired well with the complex flavors of eggplant. Visually adorable, it might just be the most stylish mackerel in Kagurazaka's history. The bread was a basic type, and I missed the octopus bread a bit. The bonito paired with beet sauce created a vibrant red presentation, obscuring some of the added vegetables and stracciatella (the cream inside burrata), but the flavors were layered and more complex than expected. The grouper was grilled over charcoal, accompanied by what seemed like a clam chowder with mussels. This fish dish was excellent. The rich sauce harmonized well with the smoky aroma, allowing the rich flavors to unfold. The first pasta dish was trofie, where the subtle wheat flavor and chewy texture stood out. The rich sauce with abalone and basil added a luxurious taste. The next pasta, was it tajarin or tagliolini? It had a rich egg flavor and a smooth texture. The use of surf clams was an unusual match, and along with the trofie, these two were the stars of the meal. For the meat course, we had black-haired wagyu from the thigh. Grilled over charcoal, the aroma enhanced the flavor of the wagyu's fat and meat, making it very appetizing. The lotus root, topped with scamorza cheese, added a smoky flavor to the dish. The first dessert featured grapes, with a seasonal selection of Pione and Shine Muscat. The second dessert was a sweet potato dish, which was wonderful. The charming presentation strongly conveyed the essence of sweet potatoes, resulting in a wonderfully layered flavor. The aromatic gelato was also beautifully prepared. The petit fours were intricately made, positioning the restaurant among the top contenders in the sweets category in Italian dining. I enjoyed the meal leisurely with herbal tea, and the total bill for one person who drank a bottle of wine was around 27,000 yen. The seafood was delightful, and the dishes had a vibrant presentation, giving a sense of progress towards a borderless cuisine. Scaglia offers a different way to enjoy dining than Il Lato.

Chef Furui's new restaurant is open for lunch on weekdays, making it quite convenient. I had the 5,500 yen course, and true to Chef Furui's reputation, the fish was delicious. I'm not someone who eats much Japanese food, so I think this restaurant, along with Il-Rato, is enough for me to experience seasonal fish. Plus, it's affordable. I wouldn't mind if the prices were slightly higher if it meant the late-night meals from Chef Furui could be more extravagant, haha. The sommelier was knowledgeable about wine, and even though I only ordered one glass, she recommended wines that paired perfectly with each dish. This is a place I would definitely like to visit again.

I visited an Italian restaurant located very close to Akagi Shrine that has an open and inviting storefront. I was intrigued as I walked by, so I decided to stop in! The interior is simple and clean, though I felt that it might be too plain for the price point. The lighting is also quite bright, creating a casual atmosphere. The menu mainly features fish dishes prepared in various ways. The cooking was spot on, and the main white fish dish was very tasty, but the pasta with cod roe and yuzu was particularly delicious! For dessert, we had two items, a baked sweet treat, but since I don’t usually eat much sweet stuff, it was a bit overwhelming for me. Overall, the restaurant offers a unique Italian experience focused on fish, but I felt that the presentation and flavors tended to be somewhat monotonous. While there were two pasta dishes, I felt that the flow lacked impact. Considering the prices, that stood out to me as well. Each dish was very good, so I believe the restaurant could really shine with a change in overall composition! Thank you for the meal!

After work, I went out to dinner with my friend. The restaurant had a wide variety of wines, which made it difficult to choose. However, when I told the staff what kind of taste I liked, they suggested a wine that paired well with our meal. The food was also delicious.

I visited a new restaurant that opened in June 2024. It’s a sister store to IL RATO located in Shinjuku Sancho-me, and I heard that their seafood dishes are particularly delicious. Upon entering, I found the place almost full, with about six counter seats and four tables. I started with tuna tartare, followed by my second appetizer, which was a caponata made with yellowtail. The thickness and the firm texture of the yellowtail were immediately recognizable as high-quality ingredients. When I asked the staff, they mentioned that the chef sources the fish from a supplier recommended by a famous sushi restaurant in Ginza. That explains why it's so good! Next, I had yellowtail served with prosciutto. The balsamic sauce was delicious and complemented the fish perfectly. I honestly found it refreshing and truly delightful. It's clear that they excel in seafood. Then I tried the ribollita with beans and vegetables, which had a concentrated flavor from the vegetables. For pasta, I had a ragù topped with truffles, which was rich and flavorful. This was also fantastic! For the main course, I enjoyed a grilled grouper cream stew. The dessert was delicious too. The service was great, and I genuinely want to recommend this restaurant after such a wonderful experience. Thank you for the meal! I will definitely come back.

I used the 8800 yen course for lunch. The seats were almost full, so making a reservation was definitely the right choice. The amuse-bouche and the two appetizers were seafood dishes, which were a delight for fish lovers. The main dish, venison, was tender and the sauce was light and easy to eat. The restaurant is conveniently located near the station, easy to find, and the service from the staff was excellent, so I would like to visit during dinner time as well.

Just a minute's walk from Kagurazaka Station, near Akagi Shrine, a new Italian restaurant opened in June 2024. It is a sister store of Il Lato, which I had been wanting to visit for a long time. This time, I enjoyed lunch with a friend's family. They offer both à la carte and courses. There are two courses available, priced at 5,500 yen and 8,800 yen. I thought about ordering à la carte, but the course felt like a better deal, so we opted for the 8,800 yen course. The atmosphere in the restaurant was calm, and there was a counter available as well. As expected, the course featured a focus on fish dishes, which Il Lato is known for. It started with a tuna tartare from Akkeshi, followed by a salad of mackerel from Nemuro and a ham-wrapped horse mackerel as appetizers. All the dishes had a gentle flavor. Next came a comforting vegetable stew called ribollita. The pasta course featured spaghetti with a braised aged beef and paprika dish. The beef was tender and cooked to perfection, combined with a tomato base. It was delicious! The main dish was a soup dish with ayu (sweetfish) and sweetfish broth, also with a soft taste. It seems like a great place for a solo lunch, so I would definitely like to come back. 【Lunch Course 8,800 yen】 - Tuna tartare from Akkeshi with red turnip - Mackerel salad with white beans from Nemuro - Ham-wrapped horse mackerel from Miyagi - Ribollita - Spaghetti with braised aged beef and paprika - Sweetfish (Ayu) in a sweetfish broth from Aomori - Shine Muscat and Pione grapes - Coffee - Small sweets

I visited this stylish restaurant in Kagurazaka for a lunch on my day off. Both course and à la carte options are available, but I was recommended the course for better cost performance, so I enjoyed the 5500 yen lunch course. It was a full course with an appetizer, fish dish, pasta, dessert, and coffee, and everything was beautifully presented and delicious. However, it is definitely priced accordingly, so it's a place I would choose for a little indulgence.

The smaller portions are incredibly delicious, and as someone who grew up with Japanese food, I really appreciate this Italian cuisine that evokes a sense of Japanese flavors. The dessert at the end was also outstanding, featuring an amazing dish made with persimmons. I would love to come here regularly. I want to be right up close to the open kitchen and enjoy everything they have to offer.

Is this a sister restaurant of Ilurato in Shinjuku? The dishes are certainly heavily influenced by Italian cuisine, but the way they use charcoal to cook the fish is outstanding. It results in a wonderfully fluffy texture. Since there is a pastry chef, the desserts are also highly creative and very satisfying. By the way, the name of the restaurant seems to mean "fish scales." It’s a great place to enjoy serious and well-prepared dishes.

I finally had the chance to visit "scaglia," which opened in June 2024. This restaurant is the second establishment by Chef Furui, who owns "Il Lato" in Shinjuku Sanchome. Here’s the menu I enjoyed: - Course: ¥12,000 - Wine pairing: ¥23,000 - Tartare of OMA bluefin tuna with beets - Lightly grilled Kamasa from Shimane with a white bean salad. The sudachi foam was refreshing. - Smoked Hungarian duck with black figs. The robust flavor of the duck was complemented by the strong sweetness of Sado black figs. - Steamed dai from Hagi with a sauce made from the fish's bones. Although it looked simple, it was packed with delicious umami. - Trofie pasta with abalone pesto, hand-made by the chef. It had a nice chewy texture. - Mushroom ragu topped with autumn truffle. I wondered if mushroom ragu would be good, but it surprised me— it was delicious! - Grilled black wagyu beef from Nagano. - A dessert with tart apples and Gorgonzola cheese ice cream. Every dish was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. I found a new place I want to visit again. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

The seafood-only course meal was full of umami and delicious. The main dish, the grouper, was served in a soup style but was grilled over charcoal, making the skin crispy and fragrant—truly exquisite. The desserts were not only delicious but also beautifully presented, and I was impressed by the skills of the chefs who are also talented patissiers.

For our first visit, we opted for the highest course as per convention. The restaurant is conveniently located near the station, and has a nice ambiance with both counter and table seating. (Please excuse any inaccuracies in dish names or ingredients, as there were no menus provided.) We started with tuna and beets on a corn senbei, followed by sautéed Spanish mackerel with sudachi foam. Next was duck breast with figs and balsamic sauce, accompanied by a sea bream soup. We also enjoyed short pasta with pesto and abalone, and spaghetti with mushrooms topped with truffle. The meal continued with a lean beef steak, and for dessert, we had persimmon with yogurt ice cream and a black sesame ice cream paired with chocolate cake. We were offered two glasses of sparkling wine, orange wine, and red wine, along with introductions to various wines. As two people who enjoy drinking in their fifties, we found the portions a bit generous, but our satisfaction was high. The desserts seemed particularly appealing for women. It feels like this place could become as trendy as those in Shinjuku. If I had to suggest something, it would be great to have a standout specialty or recommended dish. We plan to return and try the à la carte menu next time. The pasta was exceptionally delicious. I forgot to take pictures, so I can't share everything!

The restaurant allows children and strollers, and you can bring your own food. However, the restrooms are only for adults. The space is not very large, but it is clean, and I liked the open kitchen. The dishes are all beautifully presented and enjoyable to look at. Personally, while the course meal is reasonably priced, the à la carte options, especially the pasta starting at 2,000 to 3,000 yen per dish, seem a bit pricey. I wonder if it's due to rental costs? The food was delicious, but I didn't find it to be as impressive for the price. The waitress was very attentive, efficiently refilling water and clearing plates at the right moments, which I appreciated. Also, for those who visit, definitely check out the restroom! The washbasin is very trendy and stylish, which was a bit surprising at first, but it's really cool.

This is the second restaurant by Chef Furui from the renowned establishment Il Ratto, located in Shinjuku. The ingredients used are likely the same as those at Il Ratto, and they are truly exquisite. On this day, the course featured luxurious ingredients such as salmon roe, saury, Spanish mackerel, john dory, abalone, a mountain of truffles, and Shinsyu beef, with every dish capable of being a main course, plus three different desserts. The pacing of the dishes being served was excellent, making for a wonderful lunch experience. With such a lavish spread of ingredients for only 12,000 yen, it's rare to find such value these days. Let's go before it becomes so popular that reservations become hard to get!

The pasta within a 5-minute walk from Kagurazaka Station is quite delicious. The seafood is fresh, and the seasoning is elegant and straightforward without any weird accents, which is very appealing. The service is friendly, and the tempo of the food being served is great, creating a lively atmosphere. However, most à la carte dishes are over 3000 yen each, making it a bit hard on the wallet. The carbonara pasta was mediocre—just average. It would be better to order seafood or vegetable dishes when going à la carte. The marinated sardines were excellent, served with mashed potatoes and garnished with rosemary. The portions are on the smaller side.

Located just two minutes from Kagurazaka Station, the Italian restaurant 'Scaglia' is a sister establishment of 'Il Lato' in Shinjuku, run by Chef Shigeki Furui. The name 'Scaglia' means 'scale' in Italian, reflecting the restaurant's concept of creating delicious dishes with fresh fish sourced through Chef Furui's discerning eye from trusted suppliers. Chef Atsushi Ishikawa, who has honed his skills at various renowned Italian restaurants, is in charge of Scaglia. After a stint in Italy was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, he spent three and a half years refining his craft at 'Aroma Fresca' before joining 'Il Lato'. Pâtisserie Ryo Ishii, responsible for the desserts, once served as a sous-chef pastry chef at 'Bulgari Il Ristorante Luca Fantin', showcasing notable talent. The lunch course allows for a prefix selection including pasta and dessert, with options like Mont Blanc or tiramisu. We requested the grape sorbet from the à la carte menu (with an extra charge). **Drinks:** 'San Benedetto' sparkling water. **Stracchino:** 'Baccalà with Polenta Chips' features salt cod and potato baccalà mantecato on polenta chips made from cornmeal, topped with fish roe from Laos. **Antipasto:** 'Hakodate Bonito with Beet Sauce' presents thick slices of bonito from Hakodate accompanied by beet sauce, garnished with shiso flower, chopped ginger, and fugu scallion, all wrapped in a sheet of beet. **Bread:** 'Homemade Focaccia' is exceptionally delicious when fresh from the oven, and remains tasty even when cooled. **Primo:** 'White Fish Aglio e Olio' combines white fish with cuttlefish and red bell pepper ragù, served with al dente pasta in an aglio e olio style. **Secondo:** 'Baked Sea Bream from Futtsu with Clam Broth' features sea bream steamed gently in clam broth. The rich clam essence permeates the fish beautifully, a technique known as 'vapour' in French, and 'vapore' in Italian. **Dolce:** 'Grape Sorbet Mousse' has a tart filled with blueberry and cream cheese mousse, topped with marinated Shine Muscat grapes sliced like petals in white wine syrup. Another option is the elderflower and rosemary granita, served with elderflower and yogurt sauce on a spoon – simply enchanting, resembling a dessert from a grand maison. **After-Dinner Drink:** 'Coffee' from Kimbo, a mild choice that suits my preference. **Mignardises:** 'Chocolate Financier with Nuts and Cocoa' features a cute bear-shaped chocolate alongside. While the mascot at the Shinjuku chef's restaurant is a squid, here it’s a charming bear! Chef Ishikawa expresses his desire to provide unique dishes that blend rich seafood preparations learned from Chef Furui with the Italian techniques he honed at 'Aroma Fresca', creating a personal culinary identity. With the cheerful and attentive service from the two chefs and the staff, along with the exquisite food and beautiful desserts, I found yet another Italian restaurant I am eager to revisit.

This is, of course, a sister restaurant of Ilurato, and it’s worth noting the differences, particularly that they offer a night à la carte menu. To differentiate further, they seem to be putting in daily efforts. I visited after reserving the 13,000 yen course in advance. It seems that the 8,800 yen course has different numbers of dishes and content. The main dish for the 8,800 yen course appears to be fish. The course menu included the following: - Cappellini with sea urchin from Rishiri and red eggplant - Sautéed octopus from Akashi with marinara sauce - Grilled grouper from Tateyama with clam chowder sauce - Trofie with abalone pesto - Mushroom ragout with summer truffle - Grilled lamb from Rosel - Edamame gelato - Poached white peach from Fukushima with sake lees gelato and rose aroma - Tiramisu (additional order) I was surprised to start with cappellini topped with sea urchin. Being from the same supplier as Ilurato, which is reputed for its seafood, the sea urchin was certainly better than the average restaurant's. The eggplant also provided excellent flavor. The octopus from Akashi was extremely tender with rich taste. It's rare to be impressed by octopus, but this one was exceptional. The octopus was served with anchovy and tomato marinara sauce, sea purslane, and potato purée. The grilled grouper, treated as an appetizer, was very much like a fish dish you’d expect from Ilurato. The skin was beautifully charred with strong flavors, paired with clam chowder sauce. The first pasta dish was trofie with pesto. The trofie was small, accompanied by slices of abalone and very fresh pesto sauce. I hadn’t had such great pesto since La Sforina in Roppongi. It’s incredible how a simple pasta dish can stand out this way. The portion of the pasta was also satisfactory. The second pasta dish was spaghetti with mushroom ragout. This was incredibly delicious. It was surprising to have such great flavor without relying on seafood or meat broth. It surpassed many pastas using porcini or matsutake at lesser establishments. It felt like I was entering a new realm. I actually preferred the pasta here over Ilurato. The main course was grilled lamb from Rosel. It had been a while since I had French rack of lamb. With rising prices in New Zealand and Australia, even restaurants with decent price ranges can no longer afford to use French lamb. The lamb was grilled to perfection, juicy, and of good quality, and unlike older Italian styles, the sauce was also well prepared. For dessert, the first dish was edamame gelato. The gelato, made by extracting flavor from edamame, had a strong edamame taste and was very delicious. It was served with pea shoots and fennel. The second dessert featured poached peach with sake lees gelato, finished with a spray of rose aroma. The combination of fragrances was remarkable and well executed. I added a tiramisu to my order. It included mascarpone cream, cocoa powder seasoned with tonka bean, espresso sauce, and coffee gelato. One feature of this restaurant is their impressive range of desserts, including a standalone parfait. They also offer an à la carte dessert course during special events. This approach truly differentiates them, not only from Ilurato but from Italian cuisine in general, which I found to be exceptional. I didn’t have much wine, but they seem to have a strong selection. They offer Nebbiolo extracted using Coravin, even by the glass. In the evenings, some guests come solely for cheese and wine, making it accessible for wine lovers as well. The young chef seems to have already achieved a good degree of culinary completion. I would like to visit again. Thank you for the meal!

I visited for lunch, and since it's still new, it was easy to make a reservation. I had a course meal with wine pairings. They asked me how much I could drink and what flavor profiles I preferred, providing suggestions based on that. I was particularly pleased with the fish dishes. It's a great option for when I'm not in the mood for meat.

This is a new restaurant located diagonally across from Akagi Shrine in Kagurazaka, where the famous cream bread shop Kameido used to be. It’s a sister store of Il Lato in Shinjuku Sanchome. ■ Lunch: 3,300 yen - Corn cold soup - Marinated aji from Aichi - Mushroom ragout with summer truffle (+500 yen) - White peach panna cotta - Petit sweets - Coffee ■ White wine: ? yen (I forgot the price) Honestly, I was surprised at how reasonably priced it was, and I didn't expect such well-prepared dishes. Everything was delicious! The soup had a nice blend of flavors beyond the usual sweetness of corn, with a hint of spice and saltiness. The homemade focaccia was also lovely. Underneath the aji was tomato sauce and cheese. The dessert was cute, with panna cotta under the white peach. The green component was a bit bitter and didn’t quite match. The final petit sweet was a small baked treat, like a financier, with a passion fruit flavor. I left very satisfied, wondering if it was really this good for the price!

I visited a restaurant located about 1-2 minutes on foot from Kagurazaka Station, situated one street off the main road. It's a sister restaurant of Il Labo in Shinjuku Sanchome, which I had wanted to try. While Il Labo only operates in the evening, this place serves lunch as well. I ordered a course for 5,500 yen that includes two appetizers, a pasta dish, a main course, and a dessert. There are four types of pasta and two dessert options to choose from. For the pasta, I had the garlic oil pasta with white fish and zucchini, and for dessert, I went with the white peach panna cotta. The flavors were gentle yet delicious. The appetizers included corn soup and bonito carpaccio, which was quite substantial and beautifully colored with beet juice. The pasta, while being a course dish, was also a generous portion and easy to eat. The main course featured sea bream, accompanied by a gentle broth made from clams. I particularly enjoyed the bread, which was nice and crispy. Since it’s a new restaurant, there were only two other groups of customers that day. However, I think it wouldn’t be surprising if it got busier, so it might be a good time to visit now. The total could reach around 8,000 yen if you order drinks, which feels a bit pricey, but the portion size for the main course was sufficient, so I think the overall balance was pretty good.