Napoli

It was dark, couldn't take a picture of the main sign.

Rating: Not great
Meal:  Dinner
Price:  1900 yen (1800 yen plus 100 for take home)
Payment:  Cash only
Dishes: Peppe pizza (tomato base, fresh basil, mozzarella)
English Menu: Yes
Smoking: No (I don't think)
Phone Number:  046 8549226  (for pickup to go)

Napoli is a brand new, truly Italian pizza restaurant that recently opened up right next door.  Let me begin by saying I have little to no experience with actual Italian pizza.  However, a friend of mine who seems a much greater expert on such things than I declared Napoli's pizza to be better than 90% of the pizza you'll find in Japan or Napoli itself.

However, this is my platform for my purely subjective opinion, and if this is representative of the best Italy has to offer on the subject of pizza, count me a bit disappointed.  Not that it was terrible, but once I got the pizza home I found I had to add some salt, pepper, and furikake to get the flavors near to where I would prefer them.

My pizza cooking, took about 30 seconds

It looks beautiful though, and perhaps I am just a neanderthal when it comes to this particular cuisine.  I hope some day to be sent to Naples for work purposes and to try what is available so I have a better comparison base.  I will say that I want to try all of their pizzas at some point to see if there is something I actually like for itself.  For example the Quattro Formaggio includes gorgonzola and walnuts...a fabulous combination that has me salivating even now.  If I find something really good, I might change the rating of this place in the future.
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Update:  Having eaten from there again, I have changed my rating downwards.  I just don't like their pizza, it's not very flavorful and it's too expensive.
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Pretty....

A word about price and lunch.  Apparently there is a very affordable 1200 yen lunch price that includes a salad.  I would love to try this, but unfortunately they currently don't open until 12 noon.  I did suggest if they opened an hour earlier, they might catch more of the lunch crowd and was told they would consider it.  If so, that may also affect my rating in the future.






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Another update:  They were closed for some time with nebulous indications as to reopening.  I heard today from friends at work that they had re-opened for lunch only with a new "chef".  I figured I'd try a lunch special.  1100 yen for 1 of 3 pizzas, including a salad and coffee/tea.  My pizza was again, very unimpressive, lacking in any real flavor.  I asked about the salad when one didn't appear and was told, sorry, they don't have it today.  Huh.  I think that's the last straw for me...
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