Cantina - Italian pizzeria ****
Zushi

Address - Kanagawa-ken Zushi-shi, Shinjuku 1-3-15 Opening hours - Every day from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm Map - Yes Telephone - 046-870-6440 Menu - In Italian and Japanese Credit Cards - OK

As I have said many times, good Italian pizza is hard to find in Japan because the Japanese, who are normally capable of learnarning how to make just about anything under the sun, don't seem to be able to make good pizza dough. Remember, a good pizza should have puffy edges, a depressed center and have no burnt bubbles.

I am happy to report that a decent pizzeria on the Shonan Coast has now been found. Cantina is far from being a real Italian restaurant (they take many liberties with recipes) but, considering we are in Zushi and that they have a real wood oven to make pizza with, it will do. Besides, its pizzas are good, especially the Quattro Formaggi (=> four cheeses). Even the less orthodox ones, like the pizza with sausages and potatoes, are decent.

I found pastas and the rest of the menu to be less attractive, but being able to eat while contemplating the waves of Zushi Bay compensates for that. Be careful to read the Japanese, and not the Italian. It's more correct and readable.

April 2005