Last November, I held a private reservation at Italian Ryori Imai, and I returned for the first time in about six months! On this day, friends from as far away as Tokyo and Yamaguchi came to join me!Five minutes before, I entered the restaurant by entering the passcode at the entrance!At Italian Ryori Imai, those who drink can enjoy an alcohol pairing, while non-drinkers can opt for a non-alcoholic pairing!*Location: 10-21 Kōkōchō, Ashiya City, Hyōgo Prefecture *Access: 3-minute walk from Hanshin Ashiya Station■ The Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze Winner ■ Selected as one of Tabelog's Top 100 Italian Restaurants in the WEST 2025 ■ Tabelog Visit Score: 4.31Here’s what I had (Alcohol Pairing Course):⚫︎ Fumido Poisson of Isaki by Junichi Fujimoto ⚫︎ Salad with Organic Koshihikari Rice, Pickled Caviar, and Pickled Oil ⚫︎ Fried Abalone ⚫︎ Goto Islands Striped Horse Mackerel Carpaccio with Kombu Sauce and Soy Oil ⚫︎ Isaki Aqua Pazza by Fujimoto ⚫︎ Hokkaido Botan Shrimp Shabu-Shabu ⚫︎ Hokkaido Haruyutaka Tagliolini with Zuppa di Pesce Tsukemen ⚫︎ Fillet from Ohashi Farm in Oozora Town, Hokkaido, marinated for a week in homemade Awaji onion miso (80 months of fattening), grilled over charcoal with its broth ⚫︎ Organic Koshihikari Rice from Sasayama cooked in the initial broth ⚫︎ Freshly made Tokushima Wasanbon Vanilla Ice Cream with Matcha Affogato Here are my impressions: We started with a broth made from over 1 kg of Isaki, which was carefully prepared by Junichi Fujimoto from Ehime Prefecture, roasted and simmered for five hours. The broth was delicious, warming my stomach and stimulating my appetite!I absolutely love Imai's specialty, the fried abalone! The abalone, simmered for five hours, had a wonderful texture and was outstanding today as well!Another specialty, the Botan shrimp shabu-shabu, was incredibly delicious, paired with a béchamel sauce infused with shrimp broth.For the main dish, we had Chateaubriand from Ohashi Farm, with a fattening period of 80 months! It was guaranteed to be delicious!Once again, I was overwhelmed by Chef Imai and left completely satisfied! This wonderful restaurant operates smoothly with just one person serving, making for a delightful dining experience! It was a great meal!☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★ Thank you for visiting and reading until the end! I appreciate it!If you liked it, please give a "like," "follow," "save the restaurant," or leave a "comment." Your support will motivate me to write more reviews in the future, so I would greatly appreciate it! ☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★