Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2008

Courtesy of Metius Foods

Just a few years ago, the debut of Enoteca d’Oro might have caused a big stir. With a wine list the size of a phone book, hand-tossed pizzas and keen waitstaff, this Hamamatsucho eatery is the real Italian deal. But thanks to an influx of restaurants specializing in cuisine ranging from Milan to Sicily, Enoteca d’Oro enters the Tokyo dining scene amid some serious competition. Good thing, then, that it also arrives with a serious pedigree: its sister restaurants in Hanzomon and Jimbocho are established foodie destinations.

Enoteca d’Oro offers admirably simple pizzas (from ¥1,200), which include a basic cheese variety made with real buffalo mozzarella (¥2,000). Antipasti range from Sicilian-style seafood assortments (¥2,400) to Rome-style appetizer platters (¥2,200) to favorites like Piedmontese bagna cauda (¥1,800) and insalata caprese (¥1,600). Many dishes are available in piccolo (small) sizes, which is good news for locals, as portions here are large for Tokyo. Our wagyu carpaccio (¥2,400) came on a plate layered with earthy, peppered beef, and just olive oil and a lemon wedge for seasonings.

Courtesy of Metius Foods

The dozen primo piatti dishes share a similarly authentic provenance and attention to locally sourced ingredients. A plate of rigatoni in a ragu of Hokkaido venison and Japanese sweet potato (¥2,000) was both big-portioned and robust—and one of the best pasta dishes we’ve enjoyed in Tokyo. Seafood fans can try Sicilian-style linguine with tako and olives (¥1,800), Neapolitan spaghetti with Hokkaido clams and chili tomatoes (¥1,700), and the provocatively named “dish made just for shrimp lovers with orecchiette” (¥2,400).

Enoteca D’oro’s menu is also conspicuous for its two full pages of Italian meats, including rare-in-Tokyo varieties of prosciutto, salami and bologna. The copious wine list features a dozen entries priced at just ¥3,500; we enjoyed a lovely bottle of Lilliano Chianti Classico that worked well across our broad range of dishes, especially a six-cheese plate (¥1,600) with Crutin, Taleggio and Robiola varieties. Entrees include lamb cacciatore (¥2,600), roasted French duck with truffles (¥2,800), and Sendai beef tagliata with arugula and parmesan (¥2,800).

Enoteca D’oro is located in the food court of an office complex, so when we showed up on a recent cold and rainy Sunday, we expected to have the place to ourselves. Wrong. The rustic-flavored interior was abuzz with couples, families and other small groups, and we’re guessing that when the business crowd flocks in on weekdays, seats are tough to come by. For a new entrant in Tokyo’s cutthroat restaurant scene, that’s a good sign.