Further Adventures in the Newly Found Land of Jitalia

So, now that we have discovered the new branch of cuisine - Jitalian - and especially given the positive early signs we saw, it is imperative, I feel, that we further investigate this curious fusion of two world cuisines.

And, conveniently, we find ...

...the Mountain Cat Pizzeria!


Now, you can't really see very clearly here, but the outside looks like an overly-stocked seaside antique shop, specialising in cats. Very un-Japanese in its messyness. A positive sign already!

Our suspicions are confirmed when we enter. Full of random trinkets - excellent. Although the size of the place (sits about seven Japanese, or maybe two and a half Europeans), and the seats at the counter are also very Japanese. Is this going to be the perfect fusion of Japanese and Italian cuisine?

The table looks even more promising - what could be more Italian, than a map of Italy plastered across your table. The diner is left in no doubt that he or she is in for something different.

And the charming cat drawings and Italian grammatical mistakes in the menu are clearly designed to make everyone feel at home.

And once I saw this, I was almost too excited about the ingenuity and creative technique of the proprietor, and jumped to the conclusion that the food would be equally immaginative.

However, the starter was fairly standard. Not too much cheese - it is, after all, a precious commodity in Japan, such as oil, cobalt, and golf courses.

However the bruschette were original. These came in three types - cheese and pepper, pate, and ...

... raw salmon and basil!

Essentially another variety of sushi. I was overjoyed at discovering this culinary innovation.

Now, the pasta, which as you know is an Italian noodle a bit like yaki soba, but not fried, you can eat with a fork, if you wish, but after slurping noodles everyday, the chopsticks just felt right.

Now, here is the pizza. Looks good, doesn't it? Yes, but they committed one fatal error....

...the unpardonable sin of using concentrated tomato paste! I was instantly dissillusioned, and would have probably started to cry were it not for the four-minute bowing-fest by the three salarymen crammed into the next table.

And this, I am afraid, somewhat reminds me of the market. Sometimes you can't test your assumptions until it is too late.