Misola
๐ฎ๐น Italian / ๐ Omotesando
๐ Visits: 3 (2024, 2022 x2)
Lunch comprises a trio of amuse, fish, meat, pasta, dessert and petits fours. Amuse I've scored 8-9/10. All of them have been modern, original and delicious. The 'fish' course is always capesante in padella or pan-fried scallop. A massive scallop (the biggest I've ever had on visit #1) served very rare with pickled turnips, lemon meringue and an anchovy and caper sauce. I've never had a better scallop dish than this in Japan, 10/10 on visits #1 and #3 (8.5/10 on visit #2 but alas I noted no reason). The meat course has been a bit more variable. Gamey Hokkaido shika was worthy of 8.5/10 on visit #1. On visit #2 a slightly underwhelming bavette of beef was only worth 7.5/10. The main dish on visit #3 comprised Ezo shika, chicken ballottine and Mangalitza. Unsurprisingly this was three dishes on one plate but if you viewed it as an 'assiette of meat' then it was enjoyable, the pork outstanding, chicken superb and deer unexceptional. Handmade pasta has been a bit variable as well. Tachiou went well with the mushrooms and capellini on visit #3 - 8.25/10. A thicker pasta on visit #2 which I didn't enjoy as much - the chilli oil clashing with the oily tuna - 7.5/10. Nothing has surpassed the pasta on visit #1: a rich and spicy kegani sauce - an almost perfect 9.9/10. Two desserts are now included rather than one, albeit with a less busy selection of petits fours. The first dessert of 'tiramisu' on my most recent visit was thoroughly inadequate: a dry cocoa sponge jarring with the sliced grapes, zero coffee flavour and if there was any alcohol in it not even a breathalyser would have picked it up. 4.5/10. Despite the silly plating a massive improvement with dessert #2 of espresso ice-cream, lemon meringue and Lebkuchen meringue. 9/10. After-meal drink is now included in the course. Petits fours were less good on this visit than previous ones.
Only one kind of bread was served on my most recent visit and was full of wholewheat flavour. The bread was not served with olive oil nor replenished but is now served with some good Swiss raw ham. Although you're not given an option to supersize it there's no shortage of protein included in the pasta so you should be getting full after this.
The first floor used to operate as a wine shop and wine bar (but is now an a-la-carte space) so drinks are a little expensive. The cheapest glass of red is JPY 1,800 and the cheapest glass of white JPY 1,900. Teetotalers have a choice of water or no-alcohol wine only. The drinks menu is bilingual. Being terse and incomplete, the Japanese-only course menu could have been left out.
As I mentioned prices have gone up a little and 10% service is now charged but with the inclusion of a second dessert and after-meal drink I feel like there's been no drop in value since my original visits nearly two years ago.
Seasonings are quite strong, which is how I like them. The course feels a little unbalanced. The fish course is always the scallop and while (as I mentioned) superb, you'll have noshed it in a couple of minutes. So being presented the 'main dish' 20 minutes into a course meal just feels too early. Two desserts and petits fours also feels like a lot of sugar compared with what came before. But none of that would put me off from returning. Apart from the scallop, every dish has been different across my three visits to Misola and unlike my favourite Italian resturants Il Lato and Malca, where I can have a good guess at what I'm going to be served prior to booking, at Misola I have little clue, except that I expect I'll enjoy it.
Misola will finally be featured in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2025, though it seems without a Star.
๐ Visit October 2024
Sanma
Mussel
Scallop
Ezo deer
Swordfish
Beltfish
Liquirizia
๐ Visit December 2022
Sea urchin, wasabi, pistachio
Charcoal, mozzarella
Scallop, turnip, yuzu
Grass-fed beef
Tuna
[Dessert]
๐ Visit November 2022
Sanma Lardo
Mussels Polenta
Scallops Turnip
Ezo Venison, Truffle
Hairy Crab
[Dessert]
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