IKEBUKURO: Osteria Sante... 3 years later this little Italian gem is alive and well~

A good friend of mine's ex-high school ski teammate opened up a great little Italian restaurant in the most unlikely town... Ikebukuro and Italian don't really match but its a niche. 

Ended up ordering two bottles of Garofoli Marche G Rosso... yup neither one of us are much of a wine connoisseur. 

Some very nice prosciutto 

And of course in Tokyo is always great to share your wine with the chef.

Another for da chef.

If you are in the mood for something other than Japanese, Chinese, Izakaya's or Ramen spots in Ikebukuro definitely hit up Osteria Sante and say hi to Chef Matsumoto  http://www.osteria-sante.com/chef/.  It was a rainy Thursday and at 8pm we pretty much had the entire restaurant to ourselves.  

Revisited with the boys on 6.13.2014.  All the guys and owner chef (in red) except me were on the same high school ski team.

Restaurant: Osteria Sante

Osteria Website: http://www.osteria-sante.com/

Tabelog Foodie Website: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1305/A130501/13117071/

Address J: 東京都豊島区池袋2-39-8

Address E: Tokyo, Toshima-ku, Ikebukuro 2-39-8
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/DmGoc

オステリアサンテ, イタリアン, ワインバー, ステーキ, 池袋, Japan, Japanese, Italian, French, Pasta, beer, wine, foodie, tokyobelly, white, red, yelp,

TSURUSE: Chuhachi Izakaya... I'M LOST in SAITAMA Prefecture! What a great cozy Izakaya filled with locals~

I think I've only been to Saitama Prefecture once in my life to see U2 at the Saitama Super Arena... but this day my friends uncle invited us to visit his favorite izakaya in the burbs of Tsuruse on the Tobu Tojo Line.

After the Japanese excise tax went up from 5 to 8% many restaurants took it as an opportunity to finally raise prices... and it seems this spot also.

Seafood plater 480yen (was only 380yen before the tax hike).  This was soooo fresh and delicious.

Menu's are basically written all over the walls~

150yen noodles.

Just a wonderful little izakaya... I'll definitely be back someday soon.

Restaurant: Chuhachi Izakaya

Foodie Tabelog Website: http://tabelog.com/saitama/A1103/A110302/11014970/

Address J: 埼玉県富士見市鶴馬2605-1

Address E: Saitama-ken, Fujimi-shi, Tsuruma 2605-1
MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/oZH7K

忠八, 居酒屋, 鶴瀬, 安い, japan, japanese, foodie, tokyobelly, cheap, beer, sake, sushi, sashimi, yakitori, fast food,