Pizza Marumo @ Ebisu

Prosciutto with aguala

Olives

Wood-fire oven baked cauliflower with anchovy sauce

Bismarck 2.0

Quattro formaggi with organic honey

Homemade roast ham and aguala salad with Balsamic dressing

Bismarck with truffle paste

Little Pepper Bomb

A relatively recent Ebisu debutant, Pizza Marumo’s contemporary Japanese interior, marble dining counter and eye-catching pizza kiln create a stylish setting for a top tier pizza experience.

Previously of Savoy, founder-chef Motokura Yuki wanted to provide a “fusion of Neapolitan pizza and Japanese flavors.” In doing so he’s created a menu that’s both unique and inventive, offering a selection of Japanese influenced appetizers, sides (the roast cauliflower with anchovy and garlic paste is wonderful), wood fire grilled meats, and a regularly updated selection of superb pizzas.

Freshly baked for only a minute in a 500℃ wood-fired kiln, these pizzas are some of Tokyo’s best. Made with dough that’s been fermented to the limit, the base and crust has an irresistibly chewy texture while remaining light on the stomach.

The Margherita is a delicious balance of rich mozzarella cheese and tomato, while the Marinara delights with its garlicky flavour. For the more adventurous, the Japanese Umami is topped with dried shiitake sauce, mozzarella, pecorino, mackerel, katsuobushi (smoked bonito flakes), kombu, green onion, sesame and soy sauce.

Pizza Marumo

050 5462 2221

 

Bar de Opincho @ Gakugei-Daigaku

Chicken liver pâté

Broccoli and anchovy sauté

Jamon Iberico

Olives

Pinchos moriawase

Lamb meatballs in cream cheese sauce

Broccoli frites

Pinchos moriawase

Fried gnocchi and blue cheese gratin

Scallops, asparagus and new potato ajillo

Iberico pork meatballs in tomato sauce

Pasta with basil and tomato bolognese

Pasta bolognese

Roast wagyū steak

Ezo venison katsu

A popular addition to Gakugei-Daigaku’s increasingly interesting dining scene, this small yet lively Spanish restaurant’s menu covers a variety of pinchos and tapas standards, supplemented by daily and seasonal specials.

The pinchos moriawase is a good place to start, providing a selection of the day’s choice morsels, a little omakase anticipation and a fun array of ingredients and flavours. When available, the Ezo venison pinchos or breaded cutlets are not to be missed.

Washed down with some reasonably priced table wine or the punchy Sangria, the light bites at Bar de Opincho make for an enjoyable meal.

Bar de Opincho

03 6452 3946

 

Savoy Tomato & Cheese @ Azabu-Jūban

Mixed olives

Prosciutto and mozzarella

Polpetta meatballs

Broccoli garlic sauté

Pizza Margherita

“Pizza Y” Yamayuki Pacific bluefin tuna and wasabi pizza

Salchicha and spinach pizza

“Pizza O” Mozzarella and Ozaki beef pizza

With a heritage reaching back to the original Nakameguro Savoy of the mid-1990s (now Seirinkan), Savoy Tomato & Cheese’s internationally renowned Neapolitan pizzas have featured in Netflix series Ugly Delicious, and are gushingly described as no less than “the best in the world,” or at least “better than anything outside of Italy.”

The veracity of such assertions aside, whether it be the classic Margherita, garlicky Marinara, or the distinctly Japanese flavours of the tuna and wasabi Pizza Y, these crispy, fluffy-light pizza are undeniably fantastic.

Despite a somewhat byzantine reservation system and resulting queues (Savoy T&C is currently taking up the slack since the closure of the other Azabu-Jūban Savoy), dining at this fine pizzeria is not only a culinary delight, but also just plain fun.

Savoy Tomato & Cheese

03 3451 6699

 

Toriishi @ Sangenjaya

Appetiser of age-dōfu and abura-age

Appetiser of chikuwa and hijiki

Assorted pickles

Negima (chicken and green onion) and chicken hearts

Cucumber with miso paste

Chicken Liver

ninniku-yaki (garlic)

Tsukune (chicken mince) stuffed peppers

Potato salad

Nankotsu karaage (deep fried chicken cartilage)

Chicken and kimchi fried rice

Ginnan (gingko nuts)

Chicken and egg fried rice

Toriishi is a wonderful neighbourhood yakitori-ya which although less refined than some more up-market takes on grilled chicken, nevertheless remains immensely popular and deserving of repeat visits.   

Known for the quality of its yakitori standards, catch-of-the-day sashimi and moreish bowls of fried rice, Toriishi’s popularity is bolstered by generous portions, excellent cost performance, lively atmosphere and proximity to Sangenjaya station.

As reservations aren’t accepted, arriving early to avoid extended waits is advisable.

Toriishi

03 5430 1002

 

Shirogane Baru @ Shirogane

Tomato, peppers and olive appetizer

Jamon Iberico Bellota

Anchovy potatoes

Gruyère cheese grilled asparagus

Charcoal grilled pincho of black pork loin and horse skirt steak

Iberico pork and porcini paella

Basque cheesecake

Opera cake

A fixture of the Ebisu 3-chome/ Shirogane shōtengai intersection’s lively dining scene, Shirogane Baru has been serving up tasty tapas, paella and basque cheesecake amidst a cozy kitchen-counter setting for nigh on two decades.

Perhaps a little behind more contemporary takes on classic Spanish cuisine, the menu nevertheless provides plenty of variety, supplemented by a reasonably priced wine list (the thirsty can enjoy a second bottle at half price).

The popular basque cheesecake is also available for takeout or online purchase.

Shirogane Bar

03 5423 3236