Il Luogo Di Takuechi

On the corner just off Nishi Umeda Park, Il Luogo Di Takeuchi is no stranger to Italian fare. If the name rings a bell, it’s because the mini-chain has made its way around Osaka (with various "Takeuchi" iterations), but its main branch has become a buzzy neighborhood dining spot. Here are perfectly cooked Italian plates that bagged the place a Bib Gourmand. The lunch set menu is scrawled on a chalkboard in front of the store, and the pasta of the day changes depending on what’s fresh and available. One day, the noodles are tossed with punchy wine ragu sauce and pork; the next, it’s firefly squid marinara sauce. In the evenings, the mood shifts and the menu turns a la carte where starters are in no way an afterthought to the mains. Sturdy bruschetta topped with foie gras sauce and ricotta cheese or the buttery grilled conger eel wrapped in lardo becomes the perfect prelude for tete a tete. Go for the steaming plates of excellent linguine with white clam sauce or truffle-scented carbonara, and make a mental note to return for its charcoal-grilled proteins like lamb or steak from Tottori Prefecture.