Belvedere's Reviews/Tokyo Restaurants, Italian

Nico

Belvedere
(2007-10-10)
Belvedere means “beautiful view” in Italian, which is exactly what those lucky enough to snap one of four tables by the window overlooking the Ginza district will get. Located on the 41st floor of the City Center building in Shinbashi, Belvedere serves home-style yet contemporary Tuscan cooking together with an impressive wine list and a more impressive view of the Tokyo skyline. Even if not on one of the four lucky tables, the rest of the restaurant still enjoys a prime view of the city and is a good choice for business outings, dates, special occasions, and those days when we feel in need of a treat.

Everything started with a salad. Shaved ham at the bottom, mixed greens on top, one cherry tomato cut in half and a pesto vinaigrette for lubrication and flavour. The ham was moist, and the cherry tomato was sweet, which made for good contrast with the garlicky pesto and the bitter greens. The waiter then brought over olive oil and two slices of warm bread. Olive oil producers in Tuscany sometimes refer to their product as fluid gold. I have no idea if this olive oil was from Tuscany, but i sure felt that I was drinking something worth its weight at least in silver, if not outright gold.

In proper Italian style, the meal moved to a pasta dish, which was squid-ink linguine with baby squid and broccoli in a tomato sauce. The pasta was cooked al dente, and the baby squid boiled tender and delicious. I had never popped in a whole squid before, and it's certainly interesting to feel the different textures around their body (i.e. tentacles = chewy with a bite, body = sponge-like but soft).

Stereotypes that come out of Tuscany often include a grandmother lovingly preparing dinner for an extremely loud and populous family. Of course, most restaurants don't have an aging grandmother in their kitchen who refuses to cook with a recipe and instead relies on her heart. But, that does not mean that they can't pump out food that tastes just like it. My final dish, braised beef in a tomato sauce with assorted vegetables, evoked the best of comfort food and was certainly a winner in my books.

Dessert came in two parts. First, pineapple ice cream, pannacotta and pineapple sauce with flavoured sugars, to be followed by a candy platter that included a macaroon, candied orange peel and almond candy together with an espresso. The ice cream was a tad too sweet and the sugar around it made it even sweeter, but the macaroon was moist and chewy.

Belverede boasts an impressive wine list that, of course, focuses in Italy. They stock over 100 labels, and there is plenty of choice by the glass. During lunch time a four course meal like mine costs 3,700 yen after taxes and service charges (there is a simpler menu for 2,500 and a more elaborate one for 4,000). Dinner time gets more expensive, with courses ranging between 6,000-10,000 yen. A la carte ordering is also available. The window-side tables fit two people, and would be a perfect spot for a romantic dinner. Call ahead to reserve them as I am sure they are in high demand. Otherwise, enjoy this impressive Italian restaurant high up in the skies of Tokyo.

Belvedere Italian / Shimbashi

TOP

Reviews (1)

Photos (10)

Map/Access