ONE DISH. ONE WINE. ONE ARTIST. ONE SINGULAR DINING EXPERIENCE.
What do truffles, pasta, and Led Zeppelin have in common? If the 100% curated concept of Out restaurant sounds like the beginning of a clever joke, its nightly flow of devoted clientele would be the punchline. Since opening in 2017 in a spartan mezzanine above a residential backstreet in Aoyama, Out has captivated Tokyo’s discerning diners with its one-dish offering of fresh pasta and truffles, paired with red wine and served to the singular sounds of 70s guitar gods Led Zeppelin.
Customers order their meal from a neon-lit ticket machine in a playful nod to Japanese noodle restaurants, before being given a recommendation from the rotating wine list.
The chef sets to work behind a U-shaped counter, artfully tossing the handmade pasta in butter and parmesan and onto a blue-black plate to match the color of the menu’s star attraction: this season’s truffles. The pungent rocks are then plucked from a glass jar and shaved right in front of your nose, dancing through the air to the rock and roll beat.
Niche and highly stylized, Out might easily have succumbed to the capital’s fickle tastes, where new joints open and close practically as fast as one can chew. Clearly, the pleasures of delicious food, excellent wine, and a unique ambiance are no laughing matter.
Address: 2-7-14 Shibuya, Shibuya Ward, Tokyo 150-0002 Hours: Tue-Sun, 6 p.m. till late Web: www.out.restaurant