My friend and I wanted to try something new, so we decided to meet at Carino, which is a Japanese Italian fusion restaurant in a super nice district with lots of expensive restaurants near downtown. We started with the agedashi mozzarella, which is this fried mozzarella ball with a japanese plum puree and soy dashi glaze. This is not what I thought it'd taste like lol. It was a bit salty and sweet, and the fried mozzarella was done really nicely. Even after it cooled down, it didn't harden the way most fried mozzarella does! We also tried the tagliatelle with Italian sausage rose sauce. All of their pastas are cooked in a Japanese seafood broth (dashi), so it infuses like japanese flavors despite the Italian forward ingredients. This was SO delicious - the cream tomato sauce, mushroom, and bacon merged with the dashi flavors that gave it such a nice umami and an additional layer to the usual Italian pasta. The gyogzana was the definition of fusion. This is like spaghetti with wagyu meat sauce, but replace the spaghetti with gyoza. This comes out bubbling hot with melty cheese - yum!!! We finished with the dessert tasting, which includes a Japanese black sesame tiramisu with azuki bean paste, yuzu gelee, and chocolate chiffon cake. The yuzu gelee was a nice tart finish to the meal with jelly textures, while the black sesame tiramisu tasted more like a creme brulee. Our server was very friendly and let us take our time with the meal! They don't have that many tables, so make a resy if you can! read more

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Checked out Carino Japanese Italian Kitchen for a late weekend lunch. They do a mix of Japanese Italian dishes. Service was friendly with only one waitress. Main dishes range from $16.75 to $29.50. - Spicy tomato tonkotsu tsukemen ($18.95) - generous 1.5 noodle serving. Good bite, tasty broth - Spicy "wagyu bolognese" miso ($23.25) - touch of heat. Broth was rich, leaning on the heavier side - Duck "nanban" soup ($28.50) - gnocchi were okay. Duck leg was excellent. Broth was light, citrusy and the yuzu kosho added a nice kick read more

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Carino serves up very unique Japan-Italian fusion. The flavours of each dish compliment each other so well. My favourites are the spicy mussels, kale noodle salad and bucatini with waygu sauce. Their most popular duck nanban is also high in my list. I've been going here for many years and it is consistently good. read more

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First time experiencing Italian-Japanese cuisine and was blown away by the flavors. We ordered chicken momo, duck Tsukemen, and a rose cream Italian sausage pasta. Everything tasted so fresh and delicious. There was only one server and she was cleaning tables and waitressing all by herself. Even so, she was so kind and did her best to give great service. It's kind of small inside but we didn't wait long for a table or the food. Highly recommend checking this place out for unique eats. read more

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Server was nice and the ambiance was great. I'm a big fan of japanese-italian fusion restaurants and this was a delightful experience. I highly recommend the katsu curry as well as the udon read more

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The food was average definitely wasn't worth $115 out the door for two double rum and cokes and a seafood pasta and carbonara pasta they didn't bring us physical menus and made us scan a QR code which brought us to a very unadventurous menu. read more

mamma mia! this is a must visit! the sushi tacos...need i say more? and don't miss the tagliatelle with sausage! yum yum... the perfect cozy and intimate atmosphere to celebrate an anniversary, with quick and attentive service! :) read more

Carino - sushi tacos 3 ways and fries with spicy mayo - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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Absolute best Japanese food I have had outside of Japan. The price Is quite fair for what you're getting too. This restaurant is a MUST try for anyone in Calgary. Do note that they have very limited hours and require a reservation. NO WALK IN! Since this restaurant is downtown, be prepared to pay for parking as well. Of the dessert flight, we liked black sesame tiramisu the best. The Japanese curry was Divine. read more

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Amazing. I have had Japanese Italian fusion food, this was really spot on. First time, I had the duck udon noodle soup. The udon noddle was really great. Al-Dante, the broth- heaven. I grew up in Asia. This broth is so tasty (even though it looks plain), and it smells of truffle !! And there's yuzu paste to mix into the soup. It smelled so so good. The duck was a little tougher than what I wanted, but overall still an amazing dish. I came back a couple days later because I wanted to try something new on the menu while I'm visiting. This time I went for the ramen. Very amazing. Soup was very tasty, it is a full meal. Meat portion was just right, and the bolognese on top was very deliciously made. Also, waiter was super attentive. They knew my name upon check in, and when I went back the second time, they knew I was just there a couple days ago. This place is packed at 6 pm, so please make reservation. read more

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Simply Amazing! I am just echoing all the other 5-star reviews but each one is well deserved. My fiancé and I came here with a reservation on Sunday, there was free street parking and we were seated immediately for our reservation time. The place's overall vibe is casual elegance, all the decor matched the fusion of Italian Japanese. Food: We ordered the spicy tuna tartare, chicken/veggie dumplings for starters. The seafood spaghetti and tonkatsu carbonara as our mains. Lastly, we had to get the cheesecake to go as we could not eat one more bite. Everything was delicious! Service: All the servers were great! But a special shoutout to Jaiden, she brought a fun energy to the table, she was highly knowledgeable about all the dishes, no water glass stayed empty for long and her timing on checking-in was excellent. I cannot recommend Carino enough. read more

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Great Italian-Japanese fusion cuisine. Fusion done right! Cozy place with great service. Will definitely be back. If you go, get the Gyozagna. You'll thank me later. read more

Everything here was amazing. The specials were outstanding as well as their menu staples. Our server Josh was exceptionally knowledgeable, very polite, and a genuine joy. You can feel the pride in everyone's work here. Highly recommended! read more

I've been here twice, once to try the seasonal specials that are not on the menu, and once to try the recommended dishes on the menu! Very good, makes you want to eat the menu all over again! Out of menu Lobster Steak Spaghetti A perfect dish in every aspect, steak plus lobster , the heat is just right, tomato sauce base of the pasta seasoning deep in my heart, not the kind of white rice traditional spaghetti sour taste, but layers of very rich, sweet and sour flavor, super delicious Seafood Spaghetti Crab meat + shrimp + shrimp + mussels + beans + fish roe, so fresh! The pasta is chewy and vibrant, perfect for spring ! Menu Sushi Tacos Assorted 5ways Ahi Tuna Poke Fresh Tuna + Refreshing Hanging Sauce Unagi Mascarpone the perfect combination of eel and mascarpone cheese Butter Poached Amaebi Shrimp Dynamite Tempura Prawn The mayo on top and the bite of daikon radish slices neutralize the greasy texture. Spicy Lobster chopped lobster meat with special spicy sauce Pan Seared Scallop Grilled Scallops + Creamy Mushroom Risotto + Italian Salami + Arugula Salad My God also smells ‼ scallops are slightly charred on the outside and tender on the inside, the freshness of the mushrooms plus the mellow flavor of the risotto, and the arugula salad to go with it to add freshness, the only downside is that it's a bit of a guilty pleasure if you eat too much of it! Lamb Lamb Lamb!!! Lamb Trio: Lamb Chops + Lamb Ribs + Pasta with Lamb Sauce The lamb chops were juicy, the lamb ribs were crispy and flavorful, and the mustard, lemon, and herb sauce made this pasta with lamb sauce superbly seasoned . The service is great, there's an interesting old man who recommends great dishes, and he's a pleasure to talk to and provides great emotional value! Not no.1 but the special only one read more

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We got the Wagyu bolognese ramen and pescatore curry risotto, which were fantastic. Portions were surprisingly decently big. For dessert we wanted to try the seasonal parfait but they were sold out, so we got the Houjicha crème brulee and the dessert tasting. Crème brulee was the favourite. Cake was on the dry side and yuzu shot was too sweet and tart. Service was good and ambiance was nice except it was extremely hot inside (early September) which took away from the enjoyment factor a bit. Hopefully they can install some A/C or have working fans because the heat was pretty close to unbearable. read more

Carino - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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This restaurant was a true treat!! The ambiance was very zen and the wait staff was so incredibly nice. Josh, their somm, treated us to a tea tasting, educating us along the way. We throughly enjoyed: - Nepalese chicken momos: juicy dumplings served with two beautiful sauces - bolognese miso ramen - Katsu carbonara (special) We would recommend everything we had and can't wait to come back one day! read more

Carino - Classic nepalese momos - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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This place is amazing!!! The service was great and the food was so unique and different. I live in the US and would come back to Calgary just to go back to Carino again. read more

The food here is amazing. One of the best dinners I've had for a long time! The staff was very accommodating with the wheelchair in our party, and the service cannot be beat! Our server, Josh, went above and beyond making our dinner an experience with background information on our dinner choices and especially our tea selections. Josh has developed an amazing assortment of teas and can tell you all about them. Can't wait to go back. read more

This restaurant is one of my favorites in Calgary! I use to go to this restaurant a few times in their Edmonton Trail location. I have since moved to Toronto and when looking for a place to eat to catch up with my friends I knew I had to go to the 4th street location. Everything in their menu is unique and they change their menus quite often so you always get something new. Today I ordered the Gyoza lasagna. It was amazing and such a great idea. 2 of my favorite things...dumplings in a lasagna. I now have to recreate this at home. I love the Japanese Italian fusion! Even Toronto does not have a restaurant like this yet! I definitely will be coming back the next time I am in town! read more

Carino - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

The highlight of my Calgary trip was eating at Carino! The food was delish and very unique (tonkatsu curry carbonara!!) and their Nepalese momos. The staff was super friendly and recommend many restos to try. Carino 11/10! read more

The Mission neighborhood has got an absolute gem of an eatery in Carino. Take a stroll near there to find unique cafes, cuisines, art shops and bakeries, but first dine here for excellent Japanese-Italian, and even Nepalese dishes. The tuna carpaccio was super clean and great to start with. Our chicken momos were excellent with two dipping sauces, and everyone loved their entrees, I didn't leave anything left of my wagyu bucatini. It's a chill space here, and definitely worth repeat visits for this spot and the neighborhood. Too bad only paid street parking is available. read more

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Bread was inedible, so tough Chicken karaage was like mystery meat and no spice Seafood pasta was great Sausage pasta just average Whole thing was over $100 read more

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Loved the Duck Duck! Was a little cramped but the food was amazing. We also tried 3 of the sushi tacos.

The mussel & frites was very good. Didn't look at the description of what was in it but repeated 3 times to waitress no pork in any of the food. She didn't tell us there was sausage in the mussels which was a damn shame. The duck & pasta was good. The bottle of wine was priced at $63 & at the wine store it was $12. read more

Carino is unique, blending two of my favourite cuisines, Italian and Japanese. The menu has great pastas and risotto dishes. We had a mussels hot pot that was excellent as well as Duck Duck Duck pasta and scallop risotto which were outstanding. Great wine list and tea selection. Service is fast, friendly and knowledgeable. Cozy bistro type seating with very relaxed vibe. Definitely going back. read more

Amazing. One of the top five restaurants I've ever been to. Very relaxed atmosphere with open air seating and cool displays. Service is great and the personal touch from the chef/owner gives it a lot of class. The iced green tea, Tonkatsu curry with carbonara, Gyozagna, and Momo made for a fantastic meal for two. read more

I like to differentiate Carino between their Ramen Lunch and their Dinner. This used to be my favourite places to eat for dinner, in particular I love their risotto and scallops. And then I went several months ago for dinner and just felt that the quality went down and the food wasnt as good as before. It might have been that one time, but all the dishes we ordered that day weren't as good. I may have to go back for dinner and try again BUT their ramen lunch is a complete game changer. Its legit my favourite ramen in YYC. It really is authentic Japanese Ramen (and Ive been to japan 3 times!) They even offer tsukemen! I love their spicy tomato tsukemen (sounds weird but it adds this nice flavor to the broth). I also like the hakata ramen! Theyre all really good. The egg is perfect, soup is flavorful and noodles are good. I didnt like the bolognese miso ramen and duck tsukemen AS much, but they were still good. Id rate their dinner a 3.5/5 and their ramen lunch 4.5/5! Give it a try! read more

Carino - Wagyu Bolognese Miso Ramen and Duck Tsukemen - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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This was my first time experiencing Japanese Italian fusion cuisine. The chef exceeded my expectations with an amazing blend of flavours that meld so well together. It's rare that I order daily specials when first trying a new restaurant out, but I was immediately sold on the entrees when the server described the dishes to us. The food was served fairly quickly which was great. I did however order one appetizer that was alright, nothing special though: - Spicy tuna tartare - albacore tuna and avocado served with tortilla chips, nothing special stood out on this dish maybe because the tuna mix itself seemed very one note to me in that it wasn't chunky more mashed up so you definitely have to eat it with the chips to enjoy different textures. I would try something different next time. 7/10 Now onto the entrees: - Spaghetti aglio e olio with lobster chunks, baby scallops and shrimp. This dish was mixed with tobiko which added a nice mild smoky salty aftertaste with every bite and adding a little crunch/pop. 8.5/10 - Gyozagna was a fusion of gyozagna and lasagna. This was my favourite dish. I believe the gyoza was wrapped in pasta dough versus the thin wonton wrappers because it was thicker and more firm to the bite. Each gyoza had a lot of filling and the lasagna component was meaty and cheesy. 10/10 Overall, I enjoyed the dining experience in this nice intimate classy restaurant. I would definitely come back again to try something else on the menu! read more

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Stumbled upon Carino Riserva during the Lilac Festival today. Decided to escape the heat to have lunch at Carino. They had a special Lilac Festival Menu. We ordered the following: - Tuna Tartare Sushi Tacos - taco is a piece of nori, tucked with sushi rice and tuna tartare and microgreens for garnish. So good! - Gyoza - delish! - Karaage - fried chicken bites of fantastic! - Tonkatsu Ramen - delicious broth, tender pork slices - Tokyo Classico Ramen - a clear broth, tender pork slices. Delicious as well!! Will have to come back for the regular menu. read more

Carino - Tuna Tartare Sushi Tacos! Yum! - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

SOOO GOOD! super impressed with their pastas. Better than actual pasta places that claim they specialize in pasta like old spaghetti factory (gross) Chianti (yuck) Cibo (meh). I ordered their ahi tuna carpaccio and it was delicious If you like beef carpaccio then you need to give this one a try. We also ordered the risotto gnocchi with shrimp which was my favourite next to the Italian sausage pasta with rose sauce. The owner is full Japanese that had worked at Italian restaurants most of his career. I will definitely be back so I can try the rest of the menu! I was disappointed that this place wasn't super nice and pretty inside as I wanted to have my birthday dinner here and take pictures but it's a super small place and not photo friendly. read more

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Interesting and delicious looking menu - gave me a hard time choosing but I ended up getting the scallops and risotto. Accompanied by good sake, great company and excellent service, we all enjoyed our meal. The scallops were perfectly seared and cooked. Fantastic texture. The risotto was buttery, delicious, and abundant! Took half of it to go as it was quite rich. I will definitely be back to try some other dishes! read more

Carino - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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Came here for dinner and as mentioned before you definitely want to make reservations ahead of time since they are very small. You can do so on OpenTable or call in for more than 4 people. We started with the seared foie gras with fig balsamic jam and the chicken karaage (on special). the foie gras was a bit confusing, the jam was a sweet and the foie gras was very rich. There was a small salad with mixed greens and some orange slices on the side. Overall this dish was very confusing and we really wished there was some kind of bread or a better vessel for the foie gras. The fried chicken was great, barely any batter and was hot and fresh. It came with a basil aioli/cream on the side which went great after squirting some lemon on top to finish. We shared family style with two duck Nanban bowls (one with gnocchi and one with noodles), tagliatelle with sausage in rose sauce, campanelle with wagyu meat sauce and aglio olio linguine with crab and shrimp topped with tobiko (on special). The Nanban gnocchi bowls were my favorite in terms of what fusion should be. We got the spice on the side and it provided a great contrast to the amazing dashi based broth. The broth was sweet, salty, spicy and packed with umami. The gnocchi was light and pillowy. Did I mention how good the broth was? The tagliatelle was good and tasted like Italian sausage pasta. Nothing outstanding, but definitely a tasty dish. But for me it was missing the fusion twist. Same with the Campanelle which was also delicious (basically bolognese sauce using Wagyu beef). The aglio olio seafood linguine was very good. It incorporated some fusion elements (tobiko) which popped and provided a pleasant fishy aftertaste. There was also broccoli was was an interesting element that was aesthetically pleasing, offering a contrast to the tobiko. All the pastas were cooked perfectly in terms of bite and salt. Everything was great, would come back to chug a bucket of that Nanban broth. They also provided great service and also walk you out the door which is unique. read more

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I work across from this magical place, for a year I kept on saying, "I will visit you one day" while pawing at my office window, kinda like a scene out of a typical romantic comedy. Then the stars aligned, me and girlfriend were looking for a place to dine before meeting some friends at Vin Room and I (smart, always hungry, with 35 years of eating under his belt) said, "why don't we check out Carino?" She agreed and we were ready to grub. We were greeted with a warm, quaint interior, with smells of delicious food billowing from the exposed kitchen. All the food was amazing, it was like biting into excellence... delicious excellence. I can't wait to go back and try out the rest of the menu. read more

Carino Riserva offers incredible service and their food is beyond amazing. We came here for my friend's birthday as a group of 5. You must make reservations as the dining room is small. It's open-kitchen concept so you can watch the chefs craft your masterpiece meal. We started with the beef carpaccio and tuna poke and I had the duck confit with udon noodle soup. My table mates had the beef wagyu campanelle and duck breast. I have no complaints about any one of them! They also have seasonal specials written on the wall. Fun fact: they use Sancho Japanese pepper powder in their duck confit broth and my partner learned this the hard way. While gulping his soup, he happened upon a sansho pepper "powder ball" and instantly had watery eyes and burning sinuses. Our server quickly inquired if he was OK, refilled his water and brought a scoop of gelato (on the house) to quench the heat. They joked about it to lighten the mood but also apologized. We brought cake from outside for the birthday boy and after the staff sang "Happy Birthday" with us, our server surprisingly cut and plated slices for us, which almost never happens at any other restaurant. I was floored by the service and when we were the last ones to leave, the entire kitchen staff and servers followed us to the sidewalk and waved goodbye with many smiles and thank you's. This combination of hospitable service and great food is rare in Calgary. As a result, Carino deserves a spot in the Awesomest Restaurant That Almost Killed You Hall of Fame cause that's where they stand on my list. read more

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Carino Riserva is a very quaint restaurant. I absolutely love the atmosphere as it really reminds me of Japan. As soon as you walked in, all the staff greets you hello in Japanese. When you leave you can definitely expect the same. It's an open concept kitchen where you can see the chef preparing your meal. My grandma has a very strict low salt diet and the chef was very kind and had helped adjust our meals to accommodate her. I had the spicy duck, namba, with gnocchi as this dish combines everything I love: duck confit, gnocchi and soup! The truffle oil dashi soup was worldly even though it was quite salty. With that said, I do have a track record of finding Japanese noodle soup fairly salty so you can be the judge. The soup also comes with a little dollop of Yuzu Kosho, a citrus and peppery paste that adds a pleasant kick to the broth. Despite all the saltiness, Carino's bowl was highly memorable and I will continue to order and recommend it. I also suggest ordering a few different dishes to share as their other menu item were delicious! I will continue to be a fan of Carino. Happy eating! read more

Carino - Namba with gnocchi - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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Visited again to take out my best friend for her birthday dinner. Made reservations online and asked if they could provide candles/sparklers, and they called to follow up and let me know that they could, which was amazing :) I had the gnocchi dish again which is amazing. Tons of cheesey goodness. We also had the penne, the seafood dish with risotto, and also the penne gratin. Everything was great, but the risotto with the seafood in particular was spectacular. The scallops were cooked just right and no funny rubbery like texture that most scallops give you. Had the grapefruit dessert which was refreshing. The tiramisu was great too. The staff here are so wonderful and really make you feel welcome. We ordered some wine by the glasses and they were very helpful in picking out what would suit your preferences and tastes. I can't rave enough about this place but I also kinda don't want too many people to find out about how great this place is because I don't want them to become too busy and overwhelmed! Definitely on my list of fav restaurants though, you can't go wrong with the food, atmosphere, or customer service here. read more

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In my humble opinion, Carino Riserva is one of the best and most unique restaurants in Calgary. I love the fact that my old hometown, despite its hundreds of Japanese restaurants, does not have something this awesome. First of all, the prices are fantastic! $10 and $11 for a glass of wine (and none of that gosh awful generic cheap stuff you find at many ethnic places (e.g. Jackson Triggs, Coppermoon, Barefoot, Apothic, Oyster Bay). The food is delish. Risotto balls, seafood pasta and duck confit with gnocchi were all excellent. The seafood in the pasta was fresh and the light broth sauce accented the shellfish. The two broths served with the duck confit and gnocchi were complex, intense and so insanely delicious, we drank every drop. We left completely stuffed. The bill was about the same we would pay Craft or National. The restaurant is small and not fancy, but that just adds to the charm. Attention is paid to the food, and you are not paying for the ambience. read more

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Came here for big taste Calgary 2016. What a great event to try new restaurants in Calgary. The dinner set menu was $35 for three course meal. You do have to book reservations; the place is small and was quite busy when we arrived. Service was 5+/5. From the moment we walked in we were warmly greeted. Our waitress and waiter we so tentative and polite. The restaurant atmosphere was 3/5. The place is small and our tables were too close to each other. The neighbouring table would comment on every dish we ordered. We could hear there conversation and I'm pretty sure they could hear us. The food was a good portion. We started with a spicy tuna tartar it was fresh but could have been a bit colder since it was raw seafood. The second course was a wagyu beef skewer with campanelle with meat sauce. The beef skewers were so tender and perfectly seasoned but the pasta was a bit too sweet. Finally finished with a refreshing pink grapefruit gelee with yogurt sorbet with berries. What a great way to finish the meal. Overall the food was a 3.5 /5. I would come back to try other dishes. read more

Carino - Big taste Calgary 2016 menu - Japanese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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This is the best little gem in mission!!!! On a walk one day the sign Japanese/Italian fusion really peaked my curiosity so naturally I had to go check it out. And boy am I happy I did!! Very clean and elegant inside. Great service!! They have a jug of iced green tea which is great value for a group of up to four people. And The food, oh my goodness!!! I ordered the gyoza-lasagna (idk if that's the actual name of the dish) but No word of a lie it's probably the best dish I have ever eaten in my life! If I were on death row I would legit order this as my last meal. The flavours are out of this world! And who thought of this dish!? Subbing out lasagna noodles with gyoza, how brilliant! With the flavourful sauce and cheese on top baked to perfection. I could rave about this place for hours but honestly you have to try this place out for yourself, please support this wonderful restaurant read more

Small and cozy, close environment, a blend culture of japan and Italy. Interesting renovation of food. Ordered 2 appetizers as duck 2 ways, and beef carpaccio, 1 main dish of lamb rib 1dessert as matcha parfait. Lamb rib cooked as medium rare. Bill came about 68. The service is excellent. Food are fresh and cooked in time. Loved the experience, make sure you reserve the table before you go. Quite busy at night read more

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Outstanding Meal! Came here on Valentine's Day and had the set menu. This was truly delicious. Everything was cooked to perfection. Cooked Italian risotto balls - Arancini, Tuna Poke, Prawns and Tagliatelle, Scallops with a tasty pan fried rice cake and truffle oil arugula salad, and banana strawberry roll cake for dessert. The presentations were beautiful and the food was really amazingly delicious. The staff are already hitting their stride. Though the business has only been open for a few weeks or so, they really did an amazing job of this valentines dinner. We were asked how every course was and the staff obviously are very proud of what they have created. They were genuinily interested in our praise and feedback on the meal. The courses came out with a good rhythm. We were at dinner for 2 hours and for 5 courses that was just the perfect amount of time. It was a dining event and we will definitely be back. read more