A note on the words: genovese-style here refers to a Japanese adaptation of pesto made with shiso leaf (perilla) and parsley instead of basil, creating a lighter, herbal character. Fresh pasta (nama pasta) denotes soft, springy noodles not dried, rather than dried pasta. Sasami is chicken tenderloin, lean and delicate, while tarako is salted cod roe and iwanori is dried rock seaweed prized for its deep ocean scent.
BONDI CAFE on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
Hello, this is Hangover Meshi. Heading to Hiroo around lunchtime for the first time in a while. I was meeting someone, and the place they introduced me to was “BONDI CAFE”. Who knew there was a spot right next to Hiroo Station with such an exotic vibe, ha. The exterior and interior feel almost like a beachside getaway. There are no staff at the entrance; you take a numbered ticket from the machine and wait a short while before they seat you. Leave it to Hiroo, ha — these parts are all digitized, ha.
I was guided to one of these seats jutting out onto the terrace.
It felt nice and relaxing, but people kept passing right through from deep inside the back, so it must connect somewhere, ha. Where on earth does it lead, ha?
Genovese-style spaghetti with chicken tenderloin, green beans, shiso leaf and parsley — 1,430 yen
Tarako spaghetti topped with dried rock seaweed — 1,320 yen
Soy-milk carbonara spaghetti with spinach and thick-cut bacon — 1,540 yen
Bolognese spaghetti with minced Wagyu beef — 1,650 yen
Arrabbiata spaghetti with minced common octopus — 1,540 yen
I thought they had quite a diverse variety of pastas,
but since I actually was not all that hungry, I ordered the genovese-style spaghetti with chicken tenderloin, green beans, shiso leaf and parsley.
For the rest, beer and snacks will do just fine!
So to start off, beer.
Just relaxing on the sofa while sipping beer was already completely satisfying.
I even ended up ordering French fries and the like, ha.
If this is how it was going to turn out, maybe having just half a portion of pasta would have been the right move after all, ha.
Mmm, this looks delicious!
It was billed as genovese-style, and taking a bite, it is really good.
I see — shiso leaf and parsley are more than enough to give it a proper genovese feel, ha. It feels a bit more Japanese-style than basil.
And though I did not notice at all when ordering, this is fresh pasta, isn’t it?
Wonderfully springy and chewy, it is delicious! Fresh pasta really clings to the sauce so well.
Between the tender, moist chicken and the snappy crunch of the green beans, this is a nicely balanced pasta. Delicious!
If anything, I feel like I ended up savoring the beer more than the pasta, but spending an occasional lunch in such an elegant way feels quite luxurious. The atmosphere inside is very nice too, so it makes total sense that stylish customers keep coming in without pause! When I want to take it slow again, I would love to come back!
BONDI CAFE (Cafe / Hiroo Station)
Tabelog lunch rating ★★★☆☆ 3.5
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
