Since April 23rd, I have visited my favorite malca for the sixth time before summer arrives. I heard that Chef Kitano, the owner, will be relocating his restaurant, tens., nearby. While the chefs at malca, including Chef Okamoto, will remain, there will be some staff changes, including the sommelier.Today’s date: 2026.06.12.Fri◆ Chilled Beet Soup with Yogurt Granita ◆ Fresh Bluefin Tuna from Sakai Port, Buratta Cheese, Bruschetta from Yamako ◆ Grilled Horse Mackerel Carpaccio from Ozaki Suisan, Marinated Cucumbers ◆ Fried Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed with Sweet Shrimp and Ricotta Cheese ◆ Linguine with Hamo and Sweet Long Peppers from Ozaki Suisan ◆ Tagliatelle with Ragu of Schwäbisch Pork from Hokkaido, Arrabbiata Sauce ◆ Roasted Aichi Duck, Grilled ◆ Lemon Cream Pasta ◆ Fresh Melon and Mint Gelato, Pistachio Mousse Drinks: • malca Beer • Dewar’s 12 Years Soda • Dry White Wine from the historic winery Abazia di Novacella, Praepositus Sylvaner 2023 • Full-bodied Italian Due del Monte Collio Merlot 2019 Continuing from my last visit, I started with the seasonal soup instead of the bruschetta from Yamako.◆ Seasonal Soup: Chilled Beet Soup with Yogurt Granita, Fresh Cream, and Raspberries The creamy texture and smooth mouthfeel perfectly complement the refreshing sweetness of the beets.◆ Today’s tuna is from Sakai Port in Tottori Prefecture. The Bluefin Tuna Bruschetta, served with beet pickles and California Buratta cheese, is a signature starter at malca that is always incredibly delicious! ⭐︎◆ The third dish is a carpaccio of lightly grilled horse mackerel from Naruto. It’s paired with marinated cucumbers, pepper puree, jade eggplant, and whole grain mustard. This dish is a winner! The grilled horse mackerel has a delicate and rich umami flavor, and the accompaniments beautifully complement the fish in both appearance and taste. I couldn’t help but tell Chef Okamoto, "The horse mackerel carpaccio is absolutely delicious!" ◆ The fourth dish is a fritto of zucchini blossoms stuffed with sweet shrimp and ricotta cheese. I had never tried zucchini blossoms before, and they are in season from late May to July—so delicious! The flower part is filled with sweet shrimp, ricotta, and mimolette cheese, along with mint, making it a fantastic dish.◆ The fifth dish was supposed to be risotto, but it turned out to be pasta for the first time! Linguine with Hamo and Sweet Long Peppers from Ozaki Suisan. This was my second favorite dish of the day! With Italian bottarga, lime, and hamo broth, the balance of flavors and umami was superb, and I particularly enjoyed the slight acidity and spiciness of the sweet long peppers. ✨◆ The sixth dish is the seasonal pasta: Tagliatelle with Ragu of Schwäbisch Pork from Hokkaido, Arrabbiata Sauce. The purebred Schwäbisch pork from El Paso Ranch in Hokkaido has a wonderful texture and the tomato flavor is outstanding!◆ The seventh dish is the main meat course. The Aichi duck is perfectly cooked and flavorful! It’s served with red turnips, Basque rock salt, Awaji Island black garlic, and balsamic vinegar. Chef Okamoto mentioned that he wants to continue using Aichi duck as it is a valued ingredient. Pairing it with the full-bodied Italian Due del Monte Collio Merlot 2019 made it even better!◆ The classic lemon cream pasta is served in a regular size of 30g, and it was so delicious that I finished it in no time! ⭐︎ The pasta is a slightly thinner type called spaghettini.◆ Fresh Melon and Mint Gelato, Pistachio Mousse As the weather gets more humid, Chef Okamoto mentioned that the seasonal elements are reflected in each dish. Over the last three visits, I truly enjoyed this course, rating it a perfect 5.0.It was incredibly delicious! ✨ Thank you for the wonderful meal! Notes: Chef Tsukasa Kitano, who honed his skills at the Italian restaurant "Sfida (now 'anu')" in Osaka and the extremely popular "TACUBO" in Daikanyama, opened this highly popular Italian restaurant, malca, in October 2022. On April 23rd, I visited again. With the concept of "Eat what you want, as much as you like," lunch features a seasonal omakase course, while dinner offers a la carte options. The name "malca" comes from the affectionate nickname of Chef Kitano's family's fish shop in Awaji Island, "Maruka." The location is on the B1F of the Shinotsuka Building, a 2-3 minute walk down from the intersection in Minami Aoyama 3-chome, where the former Belcomons was located. The restaurant is open from 5 PM to 11 PM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (excluding holidays), and from 12 PM to 3 PM for lunch and 6 PM to 11 PM for dinner on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The interior features an open kitchen counter with 8 seats, as well as private rooms for 4 and 6 people. In my opinion, the atmosphere is somewhat reminiscent of "TACUBO" in Daikanyama. Chef Kitano will be moving to his sister restaurant "tens." which opened on October 27, 2024, while malca continues to operate under Chef Okamoto.
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