As if taking root in everyday life

The moment you open the door, you’re enveloped in bright light and a lively atmosphere. Inside the clean, white-themed interior, the sounds and aromas of cooking wafted gently through the air.

“La Noce” is a small Italian restaurant run by a chef who has dedicated 20 years to Italian cuisine. From the kitchen visible across the counter, the steam rising from boiling pasta and the sound of frying pans sizzling on the stove create a pleasant atmosphere.

You can actually see the “moment the dish comes together.” That alone somehow brings a sense of reassurance.

He originally trained in Fukushima, Osaka, and had long nurtured the dream of one day opening his own restaurant.

That dream began to take shape after his marriage and the birth of his child—a time when his way of life was changing. He chose Fuse, where his wife’s parents live.

“I’m still in the process of learning about this town,” the chef says with a shy smile. With every dish he serves and every conversation he shares, it seems as though he is gradually putting down roots here.

Memories of a Journey Through Italy’s 20 Regions

“I want to focus on regional cuisine,” says the chef. Just as Japan has 47 prefectures, Italy has 20 regions.

The climate and culture differ between the north and south, and even the types of cheese and shapes of pasta used are completely different.The chef has traveled to all 20 regions on foot, tasting and committing them to memory.

Tuscan stews, Sicilian lemons, the rich sauces of Emilia-Romagna. Every dish is deeply imbued with the atmosphere of the land and the lives of its people.

“I wanted to serve those dishes exactly as they are here in Japan,” he says.

They’re not flashy, but they’re authentic flavors that can only be found there. That might be why, even while in Fuse, you feel as if you’re walking through a foreign land.

The Careful Time Embodied in the Pasta

The star of this restaurant is, without a doubt, the pasta. The menu features a selection of dishes—such as hand-rolled short pasta and fettuccine—that feel like an extension of everyday life.

Yet, beneath the surface, a subtle “passion” peeks through.The chef is particularly enamored with “colzetti,” a molded pasta that’s rarely seen even in Italy.

The preparation process, which uses traditional wooden molds, takes about five hours per batch. “Twenty servings is the limit,” he says with a laugh—and it seems as though quiet time has already been etched into his hands.

Although it’s not on the menu yet, the chef says, “I’d like to officially feature it eventually.” I suspect he’s a bit of a “weirdo”—not because of his extraordinary obsession with pasta, but because of his love for it.

I felt that such passion, though invisible, was truly present in every single dish.

Beyond the dining table, I could glimpse someone’s way of life

Appetizers include fritters, pâté, and a potato salad with summer vegetables. For the secondo (main course), there’s a selection of rich, flavorful meat dishes, such as Kuroge Wagyu cutlets and roast duck.

For dessert, there’s tiramisu and panna cotta. Their unpretentious sweetness is perfect for that final bite.

There’s a selection of red, white, and sparkling wines to pair with the dishes, so it’s fun to experiment with different pairings depending on your mood that day.

None of them are overpowering, yet they’re unforgettable—much like the flavors you encounter at a local diner while traveling. Before you know it, your heart feels light and at ease.

Timeless flavors on a single plate

“Noce” means “walnut” in Italian. And the flower language of the walnut is “a moment of bliss.”

The flavors aren’t flashy, but they slowly sink in. It’s a space where you can relax without putting on airs. It’s the presence of people who don’t talk too much, but who genuinely care.

This place is built upon the accumulation of such small “moments of happiness”—gently accompanying the casual afternoons of those who live in the town of Fuse.

“La Noce.” The story of this restaurant has only just begun. Yet, somehow, it feels as though it has been there for a very long time.