CIBI

For people who return for lunch, one of the pleasures is finding pasta that reflects the season. The dishes seem to change from day to day, making it part of the experience to choose what’s on offer rather than settle on a regular favourite. One lunchtime, a diner chose pasta with chicken and Tanabe daikon simmered in cream. They described the chewy noodles coated in sauce as satisfying, especially with appetisers and a small piece of bread on the side. Another diner mentioned a chilled pasta with conger eel and sudachi on a different day. Seasonal ingredients are a distinctive feature of the menu.

The pasta choices span different sauces and ingredients, from red sea bream with lemon in an oil sauce to tomato soup pasta with plenty of vegetables and chicken thigh with Japanese parsley in a white-wine sauce. The variety makes it easy to choose according to your mood: red sea bream for seafood, or the tomato soup pasta for a generous helping of vegetables. For something a little different, there is also porcini mushroom and sausage in cream sauce. The menu notes that you can switch to fresh tagliatelle, so there is a choice of noodle as well. One diner who tried the red sea bream pasta said they would recommend it to fish lovers.

For a leisurely meal together, the pair lunch combines 3 kinds of appetisers and salad with pasta and a main dish. The pasta is offered in 12 varieties and comes in a 190g portion; the menu lists 23 choices for the main dish. The meal can be shared a dish at a time. One pair who tried it enjoyed appetisers such as frittata, pasta with a generous mix of ingredients and tender meat, and said the overall quantity was satisfying. For a solo lunch, another option pairs 3 kinds of appetisers and salad with 90g of pasta. There is also a set with the dessert of the day and a drink; coffee is available hot or iced. The choices work for a pasta-centred lunch or a meal that leaves room for dessert.

One pair described sharing an appetiser platter, sparkling wine and beer, suggesting that small plates can also make a good fit for an evening meal. At lunchtime, beer and wine by the glass are listed too, offering the option of a drink alongside pasta or appetisers. Whether you come for a seasonal dish at lunch or gather over several plates in the evening, the menu offers different ways to enjoy a meal here.