Don Bravo

A restaurant that can raise the profile of an entire neighbourhood is a rarity, but Italian eatery Don Bravo has managed just that out west in Kokuryo. 38-year-old chef Masakazu Taira’s ‘Italian food unique to Japan’ is the product of a long culinary journey: after kicking off his career under the revered Tosei Hayashi at much-missed Hiroo eatery Acca, Taira honed his craft at several Michelin-starred establishments in Italy before returning to Japan for one more apprenticeship in Tokyo. Having broken out on his own in 2012, the patient chef chose to set up Don Bravo in his humble home hood of Kokuryo. The local flavour is pronounced in Taira’s dishes, which are made with ingredients sourced from across Japan. In summer, the prix fixe meals start with an ayu (sweetfish) confit of mascarpone mousse, bettara-zuke pickles, pickled Kagata cucumber and kale powder – a wonderfully summery dish that’ll have you feeling the season as soon as the plate is laid in front of you. So what are you waiting for? Make like the Village People and go west. Lunch from ¥1,100, dinner ¥5,000/¥7,000/¥10,000.