La Boheme

Location: Shinjuku-gyoenmae

Cuisine: European and Japanese

La Boheme is a delightful restaurant near the Shinjuku National Garden. After a day at the park, it is a perfect place to drop in for a glass of wine and some light dining. The large (for Tokyo standards) and airy restaurant has floor to ceiling windows that open to the sidewalk with views of the park. The best seats are in the windows on a cool day, but booths are available along the interior walls.

We had the Caprese salad, which was served as little mozzerella, cherry tomato and basil skewers, and then shared the grilled veggie pizza. The pizza was by far the best we have had in Tokyo (and even parts of Europe). The veggies had a great smokey, grilled flavor and the crust was the perfect combination of light and thin. European fare with a Japanese twist is also available (i.e. pasta with seaweed).