Many a Tokyo resident has dined at least once at the Cafe La Boheme chain of restaurants that date back several decades. While the hours of the iconic restaurants have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s still possible for diners to get their fix — raw fish dishes such as carpaccio excluded for takeout or delivery — of affordable, light Italian fare with some dishes served with a Japanese twist.
A popular wafu or Japanese-style offering is mentaiko (spicy cod roe) topped pasta. Briny and with bite, the dish sees perfectly cooked pasta tossed with roe and butter before it is kissed with green onion and shreds of nori.
Also showcasing local flair is a shirasu (baby whitebait) pizza in which a creamy seaweed paste meets an exquisite white sauce base in lieu of pesto. The result is a pizza that speaks of the sea but doesn’t overwhelm.