Greeting you at the door of Magicamente Italian restaurant are stacked cords of chopped wood. On the dining floor, staff members vigorously twirl the handle of an antique pasta maker as long strands of black bigoi noodles feed into a pan of flour.
The racks of wine bottles, the shelves lined with vintage copper pots and the buzz in the kitchen allow you to feel the magical charm of rustic Italy here in Tokyo. A short walk from Ebisu Station, Magicamente combines the warmth and comfort of a family-run Italian restaurant with astounding locally-sourced ingredients and Japanese culinary craftsmanship.
With fine, authentic Italian pasta and succulent wood-fire grilled meats, Magicamente blends the best of fine Italian cuisine and flavor-filled Japan-sourced ingredients.
Authentic Italian Pasta
Magicamente’s head chef and owner Takayuki Sato traveled throughout Italy’s most famed culinary regions to learn recipes, techniques and the art of hand-rolling pasta from Italy’s most storied chefs, many of whom shared secrets and tips that have been passed down for generations.
For example, he learned the ancient recipe for liguria croxetti, a medallion-shaped pasta embossed with a wooden mold, in the quaint hillside village of Varese Ligure. Considered one of Italy’s most beautiful hamlets, medieval castles, structures and the 600-year-old arched bridge Ponte di Grecino are the highlights of this Genoese village founded during the Byzantine Era.
Croxetti are the main dish of Varesina cuisine and every family prepares them for holidays and special occasions. The distinctive designs on the wooden stamps are made personally for noble families, and the branded surface helps the pasta hold in sauce.
Sato also traveled to Orvieto in Umbria where he studied how to perfectly handroll umbricelli al rancetto from the masters at Ristorante da Gregoria, who are also famous for their grilled wild boar.
Woodfire Perfection
Magicamente’s own mouthwatering wild boar shoulder, sourced from the Northern Alps of Nagano Prefecture, is flame-roasted to absolute perfection using the aforementioned cords of wood. Moist and tender, the succulent meat is devoid of the usual gaminess of wild boar. The charred carrot and persimmon on the side, also wood-fired, sourced from Tottori, are loaded with sweetness and pungent flavor.
Along with seasonal specialties and a finely crafted wine list, Magicamente is ideal for a nice family meal, impressing colleagues or a romantic date night.
Find more information about Magicamente on our Concierge listing.