Address - Shinjuku-ku. Shinjuku 3-4-8 Saison Plaza B2 Opening hours - 11:30 to 15:30 17:00 to 23:00. Weekends 11:30 to 23:000 Map - Yes. See also directions Telephone - 5269-8528 Menu - In Italian and Japanese CC - OK

Veneto, the Italian region that surrounds Venice, was one of the first republics in the world and independent for almost a thousand years.Venice, its capital, ruled the waves for centuries from the Dardanelles to Spain, until the Turks arrived to spoil the fun.
Within Italy it has therefore its peculiarities, and one of them is the habit people have of nibbling at something while having a glass, often of white wine.
In Venice, these little morsels are called "cicchetti" and the inns that serve them "bacari".
I am delighted to announce that now Shinjuku has its own bacaro, and one that on St. Mark's Square would be odd only because of its Japanese staff and for being a tad too shiny in a place where not much is new.
Il Bacaro was created with care by someone who knew what he was doing. Several faithfully rendered entries in the menu, for example baccala mantecato, can be found ONLY in Veneto, and nowhere else even in Italy. Amazingly, there wasn't a single mispelling or misnomer anywhere, either in the menu or in the blackboards.The interior, especially of the bar, is authentic in terms of atmosphere, cuisine and drinks.
Prices are very reasonable: lunch sets for example go for 950 yen (an excellent pasta and a salad) and 1200 (same with appetizers).
If I were you, I would try going native and eat cicchetti with a glass of wine: they go from 80 to 200 yen each. An espresso at the counter costs a remarkable 100 yen.
You can otherwise sit down and explore the menu to a greater depth: there are many spaghetti, fish and meat dishes costing between 600 and a maximum of 1900 yen. There's even vegetable lasagna, a rarity, but I recommend the dishes for which Veneto is famous: bigoli (spaghetti Veneto style) sarde in saor (a cold sardine dish), baccala mantecato (creamed cod on white polenta) or the delightful mixed appetizers.
Il Bacaro has a good selection of Italian wines that should go well with almost anything.
And, before leaving, don't forget to have a "sgroppino", a digestive made with white Prosecco wine and lemon sherbet: besides being available only in Veneto (and here), it's lovely and perfect to end a meal.
This restaurant can be a bit hard to find, but well worth the pain. There is no sign on the street, so be careful. It's in the basement of the Season Plaza Building right across the street from Isetan.