Bravo Bolice!

Most Italian restaurants in Tokyo focus on the better known regional cuisines - Tuscan, Venetian, Milanese and the like. Few, if any, understand or prepare Roman food. Enter Bolice, introduced to me by the erudite and urbane James Ashley. Funny, then, that Bolice doesn't seem to have a website ...

Italian food is done marvellously well here in Tokyo, and competition is tough. Bolice stands up to the broiling crowd, and shines likes a chic and comfortable beacon in Minami-Aoyama down at the tawdry end of Nisseki-dori where it abuts Roppongi-dori (Route 246). One senses a refuge as soon as one enters, and the gentle staff make the experience painless and pleasant all at the same time.

It was not difficult for James to convince me to take the o-makase option and we leapt into a Moretti beer (me) and a gin and tonic (James). See what I mean about urbanity? It must be something with these English people - at a bar with an English lordling recently, I found myself reduced to a quivering mass of masculine jelly when forced to order a Pimms for a fellow male.

Chef delighted us with a succession of pastas, with the gnocchi and the nero di seppia standing out. We chose a pleasant pinot nero to accompany the meal, but in a completely senior moment I neglected to take a note of the label. Fawning apologies, Gentle Reader, but you needs forgive your Humble Correspondent occasional slips of memory if you wish to continue on this food adventure here in Tokyo.

Our pork followed (it was for this that I had ordered the Pinot Nero). Oh dear ... this was sublime, light and "truffulent" (think truculent and truffle), with little in the way of vegetable matter to get in the way of two committed carnivores. There is much to be said, Gentle Reader, for the theory that Italians invented pigs although little in way of convincing evidence except their extraordinary facility in dealing with the meat of that blessed beast.

The dessert menu looked remarkably tempting, but seriously glycemic so we opted for a little cheese to put the remainder of our wine to rest.

Oh brave Bolice, oh bellisimo Bolice! Il cibo era buonissimo. I think I love you... Keep Bolice for very personal moments with little regard for the company. I shall be bringing the denizens of the Darkside here for our July baccanale, so if you see 16 glazed-eyed diners sitting inside it may be a good time to avoid Bolice. Otherwise, it's closed on Mondays.

Bolice [Map]: 7-10-9 Minami-Aoyama, Minami-Aoyama Rapp? (ラップ) Bldg. Tel: 03-6659-4924
Rating: Food: 7; Wine: 7; Service: 7; Ambience: 8; Price: 7 ($$). Total 36/50