Foodle

Vitantonio Lombardo is one of Matera’s established fine-dining addresses, occupying a beautifully restored ancient cave in the heart of the Sassi. Lombardo, born in Savoia di Lucania in 1979, trained with chefs including Paolo Teverini, Gianfranco Vissani and Fabio Barbaglini. He first earned a Michelin star in 2011 at Locanda Severino in Caggiano. In 2018 he returned to his native Basilicata, opened the restaurant bearing his name in Matera, and regained the Michelin star within the same year.

His cooking is firmly rooted in Lucania but deliberately contemporary: traditional ingredients, memories and combinations are reconstructed using modern techniques and often rather playful presentations. Michelin particularly highlights this connection between regional tradition and Lombardo’s highly personal interpretation. The spectacular cave itself is an important part of the experience and makes this one of Matera’s most distinctive dining rooms.

Unfortunately, our dinner did not live up to that reputation. Lombardo himself was absent, attending his daughter’s birthday, and the difference in the kitchen was noticeable. The sous-chef was obviously not able to reproduce the same level of precision and consistency. Nothing was disastrous, but for a Michelin-starred restaurant the meal was OK at best, with several dishes under-seasoned or simply not executed perfectly.

We chose a selection largely composed of dishes from different periods of Lombardo’s career. The Tagliolino of the King Shepherd – Matera Capital 2019, with milk, lime, spring onion and Osetra caviar, showed the conceptual ambition of the restaurant, combining humble pastoral references with luxury ingredients. Drone View of the Murgia – 2018, bringing together fava beans, chicory, oyster and green apple, was another very Lucanian idea, translating one of the region’s classic combinations into a contemporary composition.

The Rice with Butter, Figs and Anchovies – 2015 continued the theme of combining richness, sweetness and salinity, while the Sea Bass in Black Olive Crust – 2017, accompanied by green beans, white chocolate and vinegar sauce, was perhaps the clearest example of how ambitious these combinations can be—and how much they depend on absolutely precise execution and seasoning.

Finally came CalaMarro, squid combined with lamb entrails and rosemary apricot. It is one of Lombardo’s signature dishes and Michelin itself singles it out, describing the combination of squid and lamb offal. It is exactly the sort of dish that explains Lombardo’s reputation: strongly regional in spirit, technically ambitious and completely individual.

The setting remained impressive and the ideas behind the food were clearly those of a talented chef. But ideas alone are not enough at this level. On this particular evening, too many dishes lacked seasoning, precision and final refinement. Perhaps simply bad luck that we visited on the night Lombardo was away, but based purely on what was served to us, this was unfortunately not a Michelin-star-level meal. Less

One of the representative sushi restaurants in Ginza, "Sushi Yoshitake." Photography is not allowed inside the restaurant. I’ve always been curious about this place since it’s where my favorite chef, Murayama, trained! The owner, Masahiro Yoshitake, honed his skills at renowned establishments before going independent. In 2010, he earned three Michelin stars, establishing his restaurant as a world-class venue for Edomae sushi. What stands out is the sushi's exceptional quality, refined while respecting tradition. The experience begins not just with the nigiri but with beautifully presented appetizers, resembling a kaiseki meal. You can feel the chef's dedication in every detail, from ingredient selection to preparation and temperature control. Particularly impressive is the harmony between the sushi rice and the toppings. The rice, made with red vinegar, has a strong presence yet perfectly complements the flavors of the fish. The skill is evident in classic nigiri, such as tuna and white fish. Rather than flashy presentations, the sushi captivates through the craftsmanship that has been built over time. The interior exudes a refined atmosphere typical of Ginza. Spending time watching the chef's meticulous movements across the counter is one of the restaurant's charms. Amidst the growing number of hard-to-book sushi restaurants, I believe the reason Yoshitake continues to be highly regarded is due to the inherent strength of the sushi itself, rather than trends. Less

Kojitsu in Nagoya Osu is a Japanese restaurant run by a diligent and sincere chef along with a sommelier wife.The chef, who has trained at various Japanese restaurants and soba-making schools, seems to have a low tolerance for alcohol, but his wife takes care of the drinks, including a selection of Japanese wines.On this day, we enjoyed:"Yomogi Tofu"The yomogi tofu made from fresh yomogi sprouts from Mount Ibuki is smooth and fragrant, with a refreshing taste, and the texture of the lightly fried yomogi adds a nice accent."Handmade Soba"During the course, we had soba time with handmade 2:8 soba made from buckwheat flour from Nakashibetsu, Hokkaido. It has a delightful texture, complemented by the aroma of sesame broth and refreshing sudachi, making it a delicious dish."Clay Pot Rice with Kuro-mutsu, New Ginger, and New Potatoes"The rice with the rich flavor of fatty kuro-mutsu and the fluffy texture of new potatoes is, of course, delicious, and the gentle aroma of new ginger adds a lovely touch.The white rice is made from Koshihikari from Toyama, and the accompaniments like roasted sakura shrimp, beef simmered in soy sauce, and chirimen sansho are all excellent.The "Grilled Managatsuo with Kinome Miso" served with "White Sesame Salad with Fava Beans and Asparagus" was also delightful.It was a great meal!For wine, we had:- Sauvignon Blanc 2024 / Rue de Vin (Nagano Prefecture, Togakushi)- Riesling 2014 Special Cuvee / Kusunoki Winery (Nagano Prefecture, Suzaka)- VINIQROBE Kurobe Pinot Noir 2020 / Vini Kurobe (Nagano Prefecture, Takayama)Yomogi Tofu and Lightly Fried YomogiHair Crab Shinjo Soup with Kinome and MomijigasaSashimi of Isaki and SumiikaGrilled Managatsuo with Kinome MisoWhite Sesame Salad with Fava Beans and AsparagusHandmade 2:8 Soba (Nakashibetsu Buckwheat) with Sesame Broth and SudachiGrilled Eel with Iwamo-zuku, Jabara Cucumber, and New GingerDeep-fried Shiro-amadai with Tomato, New Onion, and SanshoTender Boiled Octopus with EggplantClay Pot Rice with Kuro-mutsu, New Ginger, and New PotatoesRice with Roasted Sakura ShrimpRice with Beef Simmered in Soy SauceRice with Chirimen SanshoHomemade Tokoroten with Vinegar Soy Sauce. Less

Sushi En, a renowned sushi restaurant representing Okayama, I visited again after a while. Every time, it’s consistently amazing! ✨ Among the dishes this time, the standout items were abalone, grape shrimp, sayori (Japanese halfbeak), and masu salmon. It’s quite difficult to make a reservation here. Everything was truly delicious. I’ll do my best to make another reservation soon! Less

It was my first visit in two years. The service was as wonderful as ever, and the dishes were breathtakingly beautiful. The wine was a bit on the expensive side, but every recommendation was delicious and paired perfectly with the food.What I particularly enjoyed was the salmon with tomato jelly and the main dish of lamb (I forgot to take a photo of this). The salmon was refreshing with a wonderful melting texture, while the lamb offered two options: a pure, mild roast and a rich, flavorful stew-like tagine.One thing I noticed was that the appetizers used a bit too much eggplant. While they were good, they weren't impressive enough, so a bit more variety would have been better.It was a great meal. Less

皿もりめん / Sara Morimen / Menmen — Ekoda, Tokyo

Old school Tokyo style tsukemen. Chicken based shoyu soup, served with medium-thick wavy dipping noodles. The soup is topped with pork chashu, onions, negi and black pepper, the noodles come with nori and cucumber.

Open for over 50 years, Menmen is run by a female master. Previously she worked alongside her elder brother, before he passed away a few years ago. She does everything solo now, admitting she probably won’t continue for much longer. 17 seats. Open since 1965. Less