Dao

The sea bream dashi peperoncino is an inviting introduction to Dao’s blend of dashi and Italian cooking. Diners have praised the way the sea bream stock and aroma of garlic cling to thick, pleasantly chewy pasta. It brings together the savoury depth of dashi with the oil and fragrance associated with peperoncino, making it a satisfying pasta to finish a meal. The menu also includes a rich sea bream dashi risotto for those who would rather enjoy the fish’s flavour in a different form.

Dao potato salad or an assorted appetiser platter makes a good start. One diner who had the set menu remembered the potato salad, made with salted kelp and cream cheese; another described it topped with bonito flakes. For a selection of small starters, consider carrot râpée or chicken liver mousse with Saikyo miso. Pairing a rich appetiser with something lighter, such as sea bream carpaccio with ume plum sauce, adds variety to the meal.

For something more substantial, there is dashi chicken tatsuta-age. A diner who tried it as part of a set menu praised the crisp coating and juicy chicken, along with the tang of a vinegar sauce made with onion and carrot. It’s a hearty fried dish balanced by a tart sauce. The à la carte pasta selection also includes vongole bianco with sea bream dashi and clams, as well as carbonara with Iberico bacon and egg. Choose between a seafood pasta with a dashi-rich broth and a bacon-based carbonara to suit the mood.

Those keen to try several dishes might opt for a party course with free-flow drinks. The menu-listed course includes appetisers, carpaccio, dashi chicken tatsuta-age and sea bream dashi peperoncino. Drinks include beer, wine and sours, as well as homemade ginger ale and lemonade. Wine is also available by the glass. The whites include an Albariño from Portugal described as notably crisp and acidic; an Italian red is presented as fruity, with smooth tannins. Trying wine alongside dashi-based dishes is one way to explore the restaurant’s Japanese-Italian combination.

Dao is on the 1 floor of Meguro Meguro Road and has both counter and table seating. It suits a meal built around individually chosen dishes as well as an evening spent working through a set menu of dashi-infused cooking. For dessert, there is hojicha cheesecake or seasonal sorbet.