Good pizza can be hard to find in Japan. Try to find a nice salad and a sweet and simple dessert to go with it, and it’s almost impossible.
With that in mind, I was surprised to come across all three in Asso Sengokuhara, a relatively new pizza joint in Hakone, Kanagawa.
The venue, too, is unusual; a large, warehouse-type area, with high ceilings and white tiled floors giving the room a feeling of real spaciousness. There are a few knick knacks set in spaces in the wall, long leather couches, and shelves stuffed with books.
The kitchen is all open plan, so you can watch the chefs as they prepare your meal. The centerpiece is the huge, red, shiny pizza oven, which dominates the room and promises delicious things to come.
Stopping in for a quick bite before visiting Le Petit Prince museum on a cloudy Saturday, we found it surprisingly uncrowded and relaxed. We opted for the lunch set, which includes salad, pizza, dessert and unlimited soft drink, and, at ¥1500, is quite well priced.
The lunch set starts with a good-sized green salad, the fresh lettuce heavy with olives, vinaigrette and Parmesan cheese.
When we finished with our salad, the pizza arrived. In the lunch set you get the choice between margarita and anchovy, and we both opted for margarita. It’s not often I’m impressed with Japanese pizza, but this pizza gets everything right. The dough is light and chewy, the tomato sauce tastes fresh, the cheese is melty and the basil leaves on top add the right amount of flavor.
Just as we inhale the last slices of pizza, the dessert slides onto the table; a perfect sized slice of not-too-sweet pancetta with a dollop of strawberry jam.
As well as the lunch set, they have a wide range of pizzas, pastas, salads and drinks, and are available for dinner until 9pm. They also offer party set options for groups of four or more.
Asso Sengokuhara is perfectly placed to be a break from the traditional Japanese food you’ll get at your Hakone ryokan, or to fuel your art-venture at one of the many nearby art museums.
