I know Koji Nakai, and at this point I can say he “just can’t stay still.” Maybe that’s why, after his Nakai Roma — a traditional Japanese restaurant (well, “traditional,” so to speak, given its strong cross‑pollination with Roman cuisine) — he decided to open Ie Koji, a Japanese osteria where he offers, as he puts it, the food from his home: the dishes of his mother and grandmother. In short, everyday Japanese cooking.
Will it be easy to remove from the minds of Romans the idea that “Japanese” can also mean non‑sushi and non‑sashimi?
The friendship between Koji Nakai and Roberto Salvati is a long‑standing one. A relationship that was inevitably destined to take shape somehow — and they found the way.
Ie Koji is near Via Cipro. The layout is very smart and in some ways recalls his other restaurant, but simpler. The two refrigerators clearly reveal their intention to showcase Sake (another great gamble), just as the menu brought to the table by the very kind staff also seems like a bet.
To dare or not to dare. We dare — avoiding tuna tartare and the things we already know.
We go (almost) blind, asking Koji to bring us what his grandmother used to make for him in Japan.
We start with “Mentai dashimaki tamago,” a Japanese omelette with mentaiko and shiso leaf — very different from our idea of an omelette.
Then comes a… I’ll skip the name to avoid making my life difficult 😊 … croquette, which is basically a giant croquette made with potatoes and wagyu. A strange texture. Curious but tasty.
Next, a sort of ramen — but dry. “Tokyo abura soba,” with egg, spinach, pancetta, and katsuobushi. And to top it off, some amazing vegetable gyoza with a double sauce.
Different. That’s the word that comes to mind at the end of this short dinner. A dominant sweetness (but according to Koji, that’s typical of Japanese cuisine). Lots of egg, lots of Japan — perfect for anyone who wants to experience new flavors and a culinary approach that’s light‑years away from ours.
For someone like me, who tends to get bored, it’s perfect for an unconventional night out. A proposal that can satisfy those who want to stick to the usual standards and those who want to drift toward other “customs.”
Ie Koji doesn’t compromise. It declares itself as home cooking — and home cooking it is. Japanese home cooking 😊
