Relaxed Italian at Qkurt, Iidabashi

Salut! It's Yoko, your food blogger.

Today I have good news for everyone who lives around Iidabashi and Kagurazaka!

A lovely Italian restaurant has just opened a short walk from Iidabashi Station!!!

It's run by Mr. Tsunoda, who used to be the chef at the super popular Cari Cari and has now gone independent.

It's called Qkurt (pronounced "Kurt").
It's bound to be a huge hit, so let's all go before it becomes impossible to book.

I'd been enjoying his delicious cooking for years, so I could hardly wait for the opening, and I went with sky-high expectations. And it was delicious, as expected!

So here comes my all-out cheer-on article!!

Qkurt, an Italian Restaurant a Short Walk from Iidabashi Station

Qkurt is a three-minute walk from Iidabashi Station and an 11-minute walk from Kagurazaka, so it's very convenient.

This is what the exterior looks like.

The name Qkurt is a coined word, taken from Kurt Cobain, whom Mr. Tsunoda loves.

"Cart" (the same sound in Japanese) also means a push cart for carrying things,
and he chose the name because the fun of one sound carrying many meanings, that diversity, is also the theme of his cooking!

Inside, there is one big wooden counter.
The interior was designed by someone he really wanted to ask.

Flowers in natural colors are displayed too, and the atmosphere is lovely.
The whole space is simple, pursuing the beauty you find once everything unnecessary is stripped away.

The counter is wide enough to lay out plates comfortably. In front of it is a wine cellar.

When Mr. Tsunoda eats out himself, he's the type who likes to be alone and focus on the flavors,
so he aimed to create a space where guests can eat at their own pace.

His previous restaurant was lively, while Qkurt has a quiet, calm, grown-up feel.
They're totally different.

So I was surprised when I first walked in, but it's incredibly relaxing!

You can eat in such a leisurely frame of mind.
Bring a date here and they'd fall for you instantly, lol.

Dinner Course at Qkurt

Now, here's today's menu!

Since it was our first visit, we went with the course.
Until 20:00, reservations are required and there's a single seven-dish course for ¥5,500. After that, it's à la carte.
(Ordering à la carte is basically for after 20:00, but on some days it seems to be à la carte all evening.)

Let's start with the appetizers!

Chickpea crepe, salami and pear

On the crepe at left: stewed peas, goat cheese and cilantro.

On the right: Veneto salami. Underneath, pear and pecorino cheese grilled like a brulée.

The ingredient combinations are interesting from the very first plate!!

The wine on the left is S. Agnese Vino Bianco.
It's an orange wine, which has been trendy lately (white grapes made with the red-wine method).
It has a sweet-tart apricot character, a honeyed feel, and a clean finish. My kind of wine!

On the right is Pheasant's Tears Kakhri Mtsvivani (I couldn't read the rest, lol).
Pheasant's Tears is a winery in Georgia.

They make wine in the traditional Georgian way, fermenting it in large clay vessels called qvevri buried in the ground.
Hearing stories like this makes it taste twice as good.

Homemade bread

It's baked light and crisp, and so fragrant.

Bonito and cauliflower

Thick slices of bonito on cauliflower and egg, with red cabbage and stracciatella (cheese).

I love stracciatella, so I was happy! The soft egg and cheese combo has a gentle flavor.

Quail consommé with ris de veau and polenta

Consommé is French, but Mr. Tsunoda likes French cooking
and wants to combine many styles of cuisine, which is why he included it.

Ris de veau (ri de vo) is sweetbread (thymus). I usually can't eat offal, but I decided to take the challenge!
It still isn't really my thing, but there was no gaminess at all, and the umami seeps out the more you chew.

My husband kept saying how good it was.

The polenta crumbled softly into the consommé, and I enjoyed it like ochazuke (rice with tea or broth).

Squid ink spaghetti with seafood sauce and filefish

Firm, springy filefish with the rich flavor of squid ink! A little spicy and delicious.

Around here I ordered a red wine.

Le P'tit Clou Cabernet Franc

A fresh red with a vegetal aroma.

Radicchio red wine risotto with Italian veal liver

A risotto made with radicchio, a traditional Italian vegetable with a pleasant bitterness.
With liver in it too, it's a grown-up flavor.

Another red wine before the main.

Lous Grezes Cuvée Alibi Cévennes 2014
100% Grenache. Alibi means alibi, and Cévennes is the Cévennes mountain range, it seems.
Cuvée Alibi is apparently Lous Grezes's top cuvée.

Gentle acidity, a hint of spice, and a very elegant, clear red.

Beef inside round from Omi Kinoshita Farm

Japanese beef is often associated with heavy marbling,
but Omi Kinoshita Farm doesn't chase marbling. They focus on lean meat,
and raise their cattle on domestic feed blended to suit each animal's individual character.

That's a blessing for me, since I don't like heavily marbled meat!!

The meat was cooked moist and juicy, and the fragrant black pepper accent made it fantastic.

Cheese

From the left: Brillat-Savarin, a fresh, creamy cheese; richly savory Comté; and Mont d'Or, a funky cheese I love.

Dolce (dessert)

A parfait of ice cream with sweet-tart berry sauce!
Delicious!!

The parfait is made by Mr. Tsunoda's wife, who is a pastry chef, and apparently you can enjoy it at café time too,
so next time I have to go for tea...!

We kept drinking quite late even after dessert, and they even saw us off at the end.
Thank you for the wonderful meal!!

And what a good-looking couple. They're picture perfect...

Please do go to Qkurt and try the cooking of Mr. and Mrs. Tsunoda!!

Inquiries have apparently been increasing since the new year, so don't forget to book.

How to Get to Qkurt

Qkurt
Meisei Building 1F, 3-12 Shimomiyabicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0822
03-6877-3942
18:00-20:00 (seven-course menu ¥5,500 plus tax)
20:00-23:00 (à la carte)