It¡¯s no longer a secret: Tokyo has some of the finest pizza in the world. But what¡¯s even more impressive is the growing number of dedicated artisans setting up shop well away from the more obvious mainstream neighbourhoods. There¡¯s no better example than Yutaka Hazama¡¯s Pizzeria Bakka M¡¯unica.
His friendly little restaurant stands on a modest suburban shopping street in the southern extremities of the city. It¡¯s not a destination restaurant or worth crossing the city for. But for the lucky folks in and around Samezu Station, four stops south of Shinagawa on the Keikyu Line, Bakka M¡¯unica is many rungs higher than standard delivery-pizza fare.
Hazama is self-taught and has even entered pizza competitions in Italy. He prefers to follow his own path, rather than any Neapolitan orthodoxy, as you can tell from his pizzas: one includes salsiccia (sausage) and hanjuku (soft-boiled) egg, another comes with prosciutto, arugula and white truffle oil.
He used to operate out of a mobile pizza truck, and for a while was a fixture in Shibuya¡¯s backstreets. He still has the truck, but his new brick oven delivers much more consistent results. He has also joined up with a chef friend who puts together more than adequate antipasti and pasta dishes. Better yet, they have a fridge crammed with craft beer, both local and imported. It isn¡¯t what you¡¯d expect in this quiet neighborhood. And it¡¯s certainly impressive.
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