Alter Ego

Tucked along a quiet side street in Tokyo’s book district of Jimbocho, Alter Ego announces itself with a sakadama cedar sake ball – a nod to the building’s previous tenant, the acclaimed modern kaiseki restaurant, Den. Inside, deep green walls and boldly coloured paintings set a striking backdrop for chef Hidehito Hirayama’s creative Italian cooking.

Working in the open kitchen behind a six-seat counter, Hirayama is a wizard with pasta: his hand-cut tajarin, luxuriating in fermented butter scented with rosemary and lemon, and then finished with white truffles, is a must. Seasonal appetizers like fried conger eel with Jerusalem artichoke puree give way to perfectly charcoal-grilled mains, including Aomori duck with balsamic reduction.

Sommelier Tokihiro Matsumoto presides over a list of more than 400 labels, almost exclusively Italian. While the selection covers the country from north to south – including wines Alter Ego imports directly and exclusively – Barolo commands pride of place, with its own dedicated section organised by producer (don’t be surprised if Matsumoto brings out a poster-sized topographic map of the region).

The selection traverses generational and stylistic divides: historic estates now helmed by women sit alongside innovative newcomers and stalwarts alike. Matsumoto’s guiding principle is “genuine quality over dogma,” balancing natural and classical styles to complement the kitchen’s range. A particular point of pride is the collection of aged table wines. While current vintages of many wines hover around 2023, Alter Ego pours selections from 2018 and earlier, offering guests the pleasure of evolved wines at accessible price points.

In an era when winemaking styles tend toward sameness, Matsumoto seeks out producers whose work retains genuine individuality.