Address - 4-21-11 Okigubo, Suginami-ku, Tokyo Opening hours - Open Tuesday to Sunday from 5:30 to 10:30, closed also on first and third Sunday Map - No Telephone - 3220-2455 Menu - Japanese only CC - OK

After reading Chris Cassady's very positive review of Italian restaurant Tokontoko (which in Japanese means Toko's Place. Toko San is the owner/chef) in the Daily Yomiuri I was torn in two. On the one hand past experience told me not to expect much. Probably because I am Italian, I am very fussy when it comes to Italian restaurants, and very often my opinion on the subject and that of newspaper reviewers diverge considerably, probably because they are always Anglos. You know what I mean? (and, by the way, am I being mean?
On the other, the idea of finding a good Italian restaurant right here in Ogikubo where I live attracted me like a magnet.
I yelded to my congenital and probably incurable curiosity, went and I am glad I did.
The first thing to greet me upon opening their door was a pleasant mix of familiar smells: pizza yeast, garlic, tomatoes, cheese and more together with the warmth of a clean and friendly atmosphere.
I thought to myself that Tokontoko is a neighborhood restaurant and foreigners are obviously rare birds: the menu is only in Japanese, usually an ominous sign. If you don't read Japanese, you must therefore bring your Japanese lover or best friend along. On top of that, it contains such Italian standards as paella and guacamole (yes, I am being ironic).
But those were red herrings: Toko san is just an heterodox and does things his way. In the end, I got my hard-earned money's worth.
The menu is not rich and features several decent, if not brilliant, pizzas that anyway compare favorably with those of much more famous places. But my appetizers were very nice, and my pasta with chicken gizzards and mishrooms, an unusual dish I didn't know, was positively delicious. My girlfriend's stuff, which I of course tasted, was also very good. There are many other dishes, including the mentioned Mexican guacamole and Spanish paella, to try. Prices are not particularly cheap, but it's clearly worth it. The one thing I didn't like was the fact that the meat section offers just a beef "tagliata", good perhaps but not enough for someone like me who prefers pork.

If you live in or near Ogikubo, give it a try. For about three thousand yen apiece, you can have a very good dinner.