aniko

The Le Marche region of Italy is not home to eye-catching city names. Instead, citizens take pride in a culinary tradition they claim could beat out any other. Le Marche is pushed up against the Adriatic Sea by a wall of mountains, and its cuisine provides a look into Europe’s approach to eating in a landscape that curiously resembles Japan’s. After 10 years touring Italy, Chef Iseki Makoto came to love the flavors of Le Marche so much that he brought a piece of it with him to Akasaka to share this rare cuisine. Meaning “a lot, little by little” in the local dialect, aniko is filled with touches of personal nostalgia — antique tables, rustic plaster — that give diners a sense of eating in the chef’s home. Course menus offer a gastronomic tour of Le Marche, inviting diners to enjoy wild-game ragu, local olives, and Le Marche seafood. Regional wines start from just 900 yen a glass, while seasonal menus, and Adriatic-focused offerings await to excite with their own delights. Michelin Guide: 2021 - Bib Gourmand