La Verde

Rediscover high quality and good value italian in ginza

photos courtesy of la speranza

The La Verde Enoteca in Harajuku was one of Tokyo’s best under-the-radar Italian restaurants. Difficult to find, it rewarded the lucky ones who did find it with deliciously thin-crusted pizzas, a robust selection of generously portioned pastas, a lively variety of daily specials, and plenty of great wines to choose from—all at very reasonable prices. Orders were shouted out in bad Italian and conversations across the table were lost in the din of the always-crowded room. Sadly, last year it closed its doors. La Verde is back, however, better than ever in a basement location in the heart of the Ginza.

La Verde Tradizione announces itself with an Italian flag proudly unfurled across from Tiffany’s and only a few meters from Cartier and Louis Vuitton. Down a twisting stairway painted with murals of the idyllic Italian countryside, La Verde’s spacious dining room holds some 20 tables, each laid with a dusty pink table cloth, burgundy placemats, and simple white dishes. The blond brick walls are hung with chalkboards listing the daily specials. A couple of free-standing white Roman columns remain as reminders of La Verde’s more rambunctious, adolescent years in Harajuku.

La Verde has quieted down—the boisterous crowds are gone—replaced by well-dressed young office women, but the place still delivers outstanding food at prices not quite bargain basement, but still, considering the luxe location, surprisingly reasonable.

The menu proposes 15 antipasti, a dozen pizzas, including the classic paper-thin crusted margherita (¥1,500), and 16 types of pasta which can be ordered in two serving sizes: 120 grams or 170 grams. Thus, for example, the spicy spaghetti al arrabiata is either ¥850 or ¥900, or the Spaghetti Genovese, deliciously green with basil, is ¥1,100 or ¥1,150, depending on one’s appetite.

The best way to proceed, though, is to check out the daily specials. A recent list included a sparkling carpaccio of fresh snapper with tomato, rucola and baby leaf lettuce dressed with olive oil and lemon juice—and a touch of sea salt (¥1,680). Another winning starter was constructed of tender slices of Japanese beef, sauteed broccoli florets, baby carrots and wedges of petite turnips, all enrobed in a creamy gorgonzola sauce (¥1,700). Also of note was the daily (and really very) special al dente risotto of oysters and lemon zest, flecked with parsley (¥1,500).

Iberico Bellota pork, from those famous, acorn-fed Spanish pigs, has become the meat of choice in fashionable Tokyo restaurants—and rightly so. La Verde currently offers (while supplies last) a superb plate of grilled Iberico Bellota pork loin. The thin slices of meat, still blushed pink and simply adorned with a few grains of sea salt and a confetti of scissor-cut Italian parsley, are tender, juicy, nutty and completely delicious (¥3,500).

The wine list covers all regions of Italy offering some 30 reds and 30 whites. Prices start at ¥2,500 for a bottle of Orvieto Classico (white) or Nero d’Avola (red), and go up from there. The little-known Podere del Ger, a luscious red from Venezia, is worth the splurge (¥6,000).

La Verde Tradizione is managed by the La Speranza Group, which runs eight other “La Verde” restaurants in Tokyo with the newest just opened in Shimokitazawa. La Speranza translates as “The Hope.” Let’s hope, then, all of them are up to the standards of the Ginza flagship.

2-6-7 Ginza, B1 Meidiya Ginza Bldg, Chuo-ku. Tel: 03-5250-3230. Open daily. Lunch 11:30am to 4:00pm (L.O. 3pm). Dinner 5:30pm to 11pm (L.O. 10pm). Menu in Japanese and Italian. Non-smoking seating available. Reservations accepted. www.la-speranza.co.jp/verde

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