Address - 21-2, 1-Chome, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Opening hours - Dunno Map - No Telephone -3567- 5656 Menu - In Italian and Japanese CC - OK

Some time ago old friends of mine invited me to go to La Bettola. My curiosity was immediately aroused by the fact that to eat there in June it had been necessary to make reservations in December. Booking six months in advance seems to be off the wall even in a place like Tokyo, where sheer numbers make anything possible. I went fearing the worst, but happily I was disappointed.

Tucked away in a Ginza side street, La Bettola is small and busy but fairly cute, hospitable and chock-full of girls. No European cooks in the kitchen.

We were taken to a table and ordered from the long, interesting menu while munching their excellent bread to kill the pangs of hunger. La Bettola offers just one thing: an appetizer-pasta-meat-dessert set for 3800 yen. The owner, Mr Ochiai, used to work at La Granata, and one can tell. The food is similar, that is, good but sort of uninspired, as if the cooks had studied diligently but without ever going to Italy. Some touches are missing. In any case, the quality of the spaghetti (I tasted the six dishes on my friends' plates. I am unashamedly plebeian) varied a lot. My Amatriciana was mediocre, whereas my friends had been luckier. But I am quibbling. La Bettola is a good, reasonably priced restaurant and booking a table is difficult only between 7:00 and 8:30. Going later you can almost certainly find a table.