Osteria La Cicerchia

Halfway between Nakanoshima sandbank and Utsubo Park is Osaka’s little slice of central Italy. The restaurant is quirky with its mismatched wooden chairs set around floral-clothed tables, eclectic tapestries and clay-colored tile floors. The owner's personal touch shines through, like in the handcrafted animal-shaped cutlery rests, but it's the walls scribbled with signatures from the regulars that seal the place as a local gem. Chef Kumiko Muraji fell in love with Marche cuisine during her visit to the region. Her recipes are cozy and local, and her talent stands out in dishes like meat-stuffed olive fritti and tagliatelle with a Marche-style tomato and meat sauce. She prepares rabbit stew, a staple in Italian households and a core ingredient in the region's cuisine, with techniques she perfected during her training in Italy. Start things off with a spelt salad, split the mains with your date and chat over a glass of wine (or local Italian wine) for a lowkey weekend dinner. Her menu is written in white marker on the clear window and might look like whimsical doodles for those unfamiliar with it, but sit at the counter, and she will be happy to break them down for you.