In the beginning, however, there were a series of difficulties. First of all, procuring the ingredients was a challenge.” To be honest, I wasn’t sure if we would be able to open a parlor in Chichibu at that time. It was difficult to procure even spaghetti noodles, and even milkmen didn’t know about fresh cream at that time.” He had to go around to wholesalers he had dealt with while working in Tokyo to ask for spaghetti noodles, ice cream, and whipped cream for his parfaits. Another difficulty was that customers did not understand the menu. What is a frappe? What is a parfait? He was asked every day.
With its austere wooden flooring and extensive use of bricks, the restaurant’s interior has a sense of unity that makes you forget that you are in Chichibu. It is a wonderfully relaxing space.
Soon the restaurant is filled with customers. ” I think the fact that we were able to serve meals was a big factor. Even supermarkets didn’t sell boxed lunches, and there were no convenience stores. So at lunch time, people came to eat. In the evening, they would eat parfaits and drink coffee. By that time, they understood what a parfait was,” he said. Around this time, the busyness accelerates. At lunchtime and in the evening, customers would often line up in front of the store. It was just the two of us, me and a female employee,” he said. And I was the only one cooking. It was a hectic time. Mr. Koizumi laughs as he reminisces about those days. But it was also very rewarding. I was proud that I was a pioneer.
Neapolitan spaghetti (850 yen) comes with a crisp vegetable salad with original dressing and coffee jelly dessert.
Spaghetti has been one of the most popular menu items since the restaurant opened. We also make meat sauce, but Neapolitan is our signature dish, and we are very proud of it,” said Koizumi. The sauce, which Koizumi and his staff call Italian sauce, takes a lot of time and effort. The original sauce is made by sauteing chopped carrots, onions, and other ingredients, then simmering them with seasonings and ketchup. When you try it, you will find that the aroma of the burnt ketchup, the texture of the mushrooms, the bitterness of the peppers, and the sweetness of the onions create an exquisite harmony in your mouth. In particular, the ketchup, with its depth of sweetness and sourness, has a deep taste that one cannot forget once they have tasted it. It is a true “old-fashioned” Neapolitan.
Jun trained at an Italian restaurant.It’s
completely different from the food I used
to make, but that makes it all the more interesting.