Hidden on a quiet back alley in Shirogane, Rama serves chef Katsuhiro Aoki’s innovative cuisine, an innovative hybrid of traditional Italian recipes and Japanese influences served to guests over the counter.
Chef Aoki graduated from Ecole Tsuji Tokyo’s Master College for Italian and French cuisine and joined Guccina, a long-established Italian trattoria in Sangenjaya to hone his culinary skills. After being promoted to sous chef, he left the restaurant for Italy, where he learned authentic Italian cuisine at renowned restaurants, such as Trattoria Baldini, Vecchia Bettola, and Osteria S. Nicola in Florence, Ristorante alla Madonna in Venice, and Ristorante Tullio in Rome. After returning to Japan, he worked as chef at Ristorante Felicita in Omotesando and HirraRi in Sangenjaya, and then became main chef at Rama when it opened in 2019.
Chef Aoki serves an innovative spin on Italian cuisine by combining the authentic Italian techniques he learned in Italy with Japanese influences. For example, soy sauce and miso is made from dried tomatoes, while Japanese stock is derived from dried marlin instead of dried bonito flakes. The seafood and vegetables are delivered fresh, most directly from fishing ports and farms. White fish is filleted on the spot via the Shinkei-jime method to keep the meat fresh and delivered from Hakodate, Hokkaido, while the vegetables are sourced from Kamakura.
The prix-fixe menu combines Italian dishes such as acqua pazza, carpaccio, and pasta, with sushi featuring sushi rice seasoned with sherry wine vinegar and homemade soy sauce made from dried tomatoes. The sushi conjured up by the chef right in front of you is unmissable.
The dining room is designed with inspiration from traditional Japanese tearooms. At the chef’s table, awaits an R-shaped counter with eight seats, where guests are warmly welcomed and invited to enjoy watching their food being prepared by the talented chef.
The restaurant invites guests to enjoy innovative Italian cuisine presented by chef Aoyama with friends, family, a partner, or fellow epicures.
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* The availability of this webpage does not guarantee that the restaurant presented provides services in English, unless otherwise stated. Please be aware that English services may also depend on staff availability at the restaurant.
Access
A 13-minute walk from Shiroganedai Station on the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line
A 12-minute walk from Hiroo Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
A 14-minutes walk from the east exit of Ebisu Station on the JR Yamanote Line
*There is a coin-operated parking lot nearby.