| Restaurant Review |
By Tamsin Bradshaw |
Pizza Express
Good pizza and with occasional comedy: an international recipe for success
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| Photos by Tsutomu Fujita |
Pizza Express is an
unlikely contender when it comes to great pizza, particularly given its decidedly un-Italian background. The pizza joint first opened in London’s Soho in the ‘60s. It was a resounding success and went international back in the ‘90s, making it all the way to Tokyo back in 2000.
Pizza Express’ simple global blueprint is the reason it has prospered: a pizza menu which is almost the same the world over, and similar surroundings, no matter which city you visit. The floors are wooden, the table tops marbled, and the seating resembles something straight from Ikea, whether you’re getting your pizza in Delhi, Hong Kong, London or Tokyo. The Harajuku outlet’s floor-to-ceiling glass windows and Jingumae crossing location make it perfect for people watching, which makes up for the generic décor.
It may not be the most atmospheric of restaurants, but we don’t go to Pizza Express for romantic trysts. We go for the pizzas. They are consistently high quality, reasonably priced and can be taken home, providing a healthier—and considerably tastier—alternative to Dominos and Pizza-La. The pizza bases are thin, and each is topped with just the right amount of cheese. Above all, you will never encounter a Pizza Express pizza dripping with oil.
On our last visit, my companion opted for the Siciliana (¥1,500). The Siciliana is a lip-smacking, full-flavored pizza covered in artichokes, anchovies, ham, olives, garlic, mozzarella and tomato. We also tried the new marinated lamb and feta pizza, the Limasol (¥1,890). Although we finished the entire pizza without too much trouble, the Limasol wasn’t nearly as interesting as it sounded. All the same, both washed down nicely with a glass of the house wine. Both red and white are drinkable Zonin wines at an affordable ¥500. The wine list as a whole is limited to a handful of Italian wines.
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Alternatives to pizza include a selection of salads, among them the Pancetta San Remo (¥1,650), with generous doses of avocado and pancetta. The satisfying salad came with our favorite dough balls on the side and was a meal in itself. We still managed to squeeze in dessert: a surprisingly authentic tiramisu with dollops of mascarpone, and espresso-soaked marsala-sponge fingers (¥550).
The Punchline Comedy Club is also a regular feature on the menu. Pizza Express hosts the stand-up comedy event twice a month, serving up quality comedy and an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner, including two drinks, for ¥8,500. With side-splitting comedy and tasty pizza at inexpensive prices, Pizza Express has got the formula just right.
3F T’s Harajuku, 4-30-24 Jingumae. Tel: 5775-3894. Open daily 11am-11pm. Menu in Japanese and English. No smoking seats available. Reservations accepted. Nearest stn: Meiji-Jingumae. www.pizzaexpress.co.jp
When popular restaurant Roti closed its Harumi Triton Square branch in March, there were a lot of sad diners. Fortunately, a new and exciting restaurant and wine bar has opened to take its place… or perhaps we should say “dramatic,” since that is how Garden Bay describes itself. Garden Bay offers modern Italian cuisine in a casual style at reasonable prices. The dinner menu is quite extensive. For starters, you can pick from carpaccio, tomato and basil salad, pancetta, terrine, or bacon and egg salad, for ¥680 to ¥1,380. For entrees, Garden Bay offers lots of grilled meats, seafood, pasta, rice dishes and some vegetarian fare. No entree item costs more than ¥2,400, and there is an ample selection of red and white wines from Italy, Spain, France, Argentina and Australia to go with your dinner.
The restaurant is also popular with the lunchtime crowd.
Sets, which change daily, include pasta, a rice dish and a one-plate combination of salad, rice and meat. Of course, no meal is complete without dessert, and Garden Bay offers the likes of tiramisu, gateau chocolate cake and fruit tart. The restaurant is available for parties as well, starting at ¥2,400 per person for a two-hour period. Having just opened, Garden Bay doesn’t yet have an English menu, but the staff are friendly and floor manager Kanako Uehara is more than happy to help with any inquiries.
Harumi Triton Square 1F, Harumi 1-8-16, Chuo-ku 104-0053. Tel: 03-5547-0561. Open daily 11:30am-11pm. Nearest stn: Kachidoki. www.gardenbay.jp CB |
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