aila

For lunch, the choice is fish or meat. At aila in Suminoe Ward, one set menu pairs a starter with a fish or meat main, bread and coffee. If you have time to linger, there is also an option that includes both fish and meat, followed by dessert. One diner who ordered the sea bream poêlé at lunch praised its crisp skin and the colourful vegetables served alongside. On another visit, a diner ordered both the fish and meat dishes to compare: the fish was creamy and mellow, while the meat was tender and juicy. With a clear choice between the two, there is something to suit either preference.

The fish options begin with the starters. The menu lists bonito carpaccio and fresh-fish carpaccio, and one lunchtime diner described enjoying thick slices of carpaccio with bread, dipping the bread into the dressing. It may be worth saving a little bread to enjoy with the starter. Another option is soup, which can be added to a set menu. One listing features a soup made with Nara-grown Beni Haruka sweet potato. Diners who tried it said it tasted almost like eating sweet potato itself, and one said they would order it again. It is a way to add a dish that brings something different from the starter and main.

If you would rather choose individual dishes than settle on a set menu, there are à la carte options. Seafood gratin, a fillet cutlet sandwich and Wagyu steak are among them. A diner who ordered the gratin enjoyed its generous filling of prawns and scallops. Make it the centrepiece of a meal, or order dishes one at a time with a glass of wine. For dessert, the lunch menu also lists crème brûlée and gâteau fromage. You can add dessert to a starter and main, or choose a set menu with both fish and meat. At aila, the meal can be shaped around how many dishes you feel like having, whether you are dining solo or sharing the fish and meat options with someone else.