Happy birthday to my best friend and loving husband!! ☆彡

November is a really exciting time of the year for us because five really amazing things happen:

1. his birthday
2. my birthday
3. Thanksgiving
4. Black Friday
5. Christmas excitement kicks into full gear

This year for his birthday, we had dinner at a chain restaurant here in Japan called Cannery Row known for its pasta, pizza, and cake. There are several locations across Japan, and I am lucky enough to live near one.

Here’s how it works… first, you choose a main course. They have a variety of pastas, some of which are actually Italian pastas, and some of which are Japanese; a variety of thin-crust pizzas; and a few other options which might only be available for pair or group dining, such as fondue and paella. We choose the fondue for two set, which was a plate of bread, sausages, and vegetables served with a pot of cheese fondue. It also comes with your choice of pizza to share.

It costs approx. 2,000 yen per person, but the main course includes 1) drink bar, complete with an espresso/cappuccino/latte machine and hot teas; 2) salad bar, which is not just limited to salad but includes soup, bread, ribbon pasta with seafood, olives, green beans, shrimp, roasted chicken, a fondue fountain, and other small appetizers; and 3) dessert bar, which is full of Italian desserts, such as tiramisu, panna cotta, gelato, and some seasonal items (for example, a kabocha pumpkin tart). Not bad for about $20 USD. The restaurant is open for lunch as well, and that is the only time you can pay for access to the salad bar only, without ordering a main entree.

The food at Cannery Row is really good. I’m really happy that there is an Italian restaurant that serves pasta and pizza that actually taste like foods I ate back home, and weren’t catered to Japanese taste. I’m even happier that it comes with dessert bar and cappuccino. It’s like icing on the cake, with custard and fresh fruits. <3

This post was submitted to the November 2011 J.Festa: Dining in Japan!