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Japanese and Italian may seem unlikely bedfellows, but chefs in the Land of the Rising Sun have been perfecting paper-thin pizza crusts and mastering the art of al dente for years. This Italo-Japanese mash-up – itameshi – is the MO at Angelina, an elegant addition to Dalston Lane Terrace’s restaurant strip. Inside, it’s a place of two halves: the front is all monochromatic fancy dining with ashen marble tables, bold foliage and lantern lighting, while the back is home to a bustling L-shaped bar overlooking the kitchen.
Changing twice-weekly, the five-plate tasting menu is, at £39, a steal. It includes extras like homemade focaccia and bonito-dusted doughnuts with anchovy aioli. Our bustling Thursday night visit began with veggie fritto misto: battered sage and pumpkin, with hefty cavolo nero leaves the triumph of the trio. Sea bream sashimi, delicately infused with bergamot, came alongside a lukewarm celeriac and feta dish (truly the only bum note of the evening).
While ‘starters’ were umami-heavy nods to Japan, the two main plates leant towards Italy. A giant raviolo came souped in a tonkotsu-style broth and dotted with crisp guanciale hunks. Later, I could have lapped the velvety soy butter on a John Dory fillet by the gallon. The devilishness of the detail carried right through to a monte bianco-style dessert: pumpkin biscuit base, with chestnut cream and a chewy, browned meringue top.
While the space itself whispers ‘sophistication,’ the service is down-to-earth loveliness. If I could, I’d book front window seat once a fortnight, just to do it all again (but different). Bravo, Angelina, I’ll be saying ‘konnichiwa’ again soon.