Ito

We've said it before, and no doubt we'll say it again: South Pigalle is the place to be in Paris right now, and the recent arrival of casual Japanese canteen Ito only confirms that sentiment. The tiny, inconspicuous restaurant in the SoPi neighbourhood, helmed by chef Victor Magsaysay, serves serious Japanese tapas, with a concise menu of ten small dishes featuring delights such as tofu-stuffed shitake mushrooms, finely cut Chahan cauliflower with ginger and black sesame, succulent dengaku aubergine with red miso and chilies, and a beautifully presented yuzu-black sesame red berry cheesecake for pudding, all to be washed down with Japanese beer (Kirin, Asahi), dangerously delicious Umeshu plum wine or sake or whiskey from their extensive drinks list. Prices are €19 for three plates, €25 for four or €65 for ten (count on having three to four plates per person).

Ito

2 rue Pierre Fontaine

75009 Paris

Reserve by email: reservations@itoeats.fr or phone (from 6pm) 09 52 91 23 00

Open Mon-Sat, 8pm-2am