Azuma Nikai

Beginning an evening with a glass of sparkling wine filled right to the rim brings an immediate sense of celebration. Azuma Nikai sits up a flight of stairs tucked inside a sushi shop in Kami-Itabashi, offering serious Italian cooking within an intimate, hideaway setting.

Once settled in, the generous antipasto misto is the natural place to start. Prosciutto and salami are joined by enticing small plates like polpo affogato spritzed with fresh lemon and prosciutto paired with figs, all built to complement a drink. Nibbling through the assorted bites with a glass of crisp white wine easily awakens the appetite.

For a charcoal-grilled centerpiece, the carefully roasted duck breast stands out. The deeply browned duck matches cleanly with a tart-sweet berry jam, pairing naturally with a heavier red wine. The charcoal grill also turns out pork shoulder loin, lamb chops, and spring chicken, giving diners plenty of options depending on appetite and group size.

If saving room for pasta, the signature vongole is hard to pass up. Steaming clams arrive piled high in the bowl, yielding a broth rich with shellfish savor that clings closely to the pasta. Because the owner manages the small room solo, it is an ideal destination for unhurried evenings spent chatting over wine while watching the kitchen work.