Interview with the owner of TRATTORIA noi
We spoke with Yohei Fujiwara, owner of TRATTORIA noi, about why he chose a location in front of JR Soja Station and what inspires him to run a restaurant there.
The roots of his path into cooking
What inspired you to start an Italian restaurant?
Fujiwara (honorifics omitted)
I grew up eating my mother's home cooking, and naturally came to love food, which led me to pursue a career in cooking. While studying cuisine, I discovered Italian food and was strongly drawn to its unique appeal.
I wanted to serve a dish that only I could create. That desire led me to open an Italian restaurant.
Why did you choose a location in front of JR Soja Station?
Fujiwara
I had always wanted to open a restaurant near a station, and while looking at various areas, I came across a vacant building in front of JR Soja Station. Soja's population is growing, and I felt it would be a good location in the long term as well.
Another deciding factor was that there were hardly any restaurants in front of JR Soja Station at the time.
I chose this location because I wanted to create a place where people could drop in and that would naturally become part of their everyday lives.
Aiming for a welcoming place to enjoy without pretense
What do you focus on in your cooking, and what do you consider important?
Fujiwara
We try to use as much seasonal produce as possible from local farmers. We also want to be a place people can drop into casually, so we generally don't use luxury ingredients.
Seasonal ingredients are already full of flavor, so even simple seasoning brings out their natural goodness. I hope our customers can enjoy flavors unique to each season.
Did you have any particular ideas in mind when creating the restaurant?
Fujiwara
“Trattoria” means a casual restaurant, and “noi” is Italian for “us.”
We wanted to create a place people could visit regularly, so we deliberately left the concrete finish exposed to give the interior a slightly industrial feel. We value an atmosphere where people can drop in without feeling they have to dress up.
What inspired the late-night pasta and what makes it special
What inspired you to start serving pasta late at night?
Fujiwara
There were hardly any places in front of JR Soja Station where people could stop for a second round, and I often saw people wandering around looking for somewhere to go after leaving their first place.
I thought, “In that case, there might be a demand if we stayed open late,” and that's what inspired me to start.
But once we actually started, we found that many customers come to enjoy drinks at a leisurely pace or have dinner after work, rather than stopping by for a second round.
What kinds of pasta do you serve?
Fujiwara
We serve dishes made with our homemade hand-rolled pasta, as well as special pasta dishes that are hard to experience at home.
I hope people will enjoy the distinctive texture and flavor of our hand-rolled pasta, including the slight variations that come with making it by hand.
Looking ahead
What are your plans for the future?
Fujiwara
Recently, I've been thinking about getting a hunting license.
As a chef, I've come to feel that sometimes I want to be involved from the point of taking a life with my own hands. I feel that doing so could lead to cooking and expression that only I can create.
We also plan to continue serving “late-night pasta.”
We welcome guests for both lunch and dinner, so I hope you'll come and enjoy the restaurant on all kinds of occasions.
From the Writer
His commitment to seasonal ingredients and serving dishes that gently fit into everyday life showed us that he is striving to create an unpretentious Italian restaurant rooted in the local community.
You can take your time over lunch or enjoy dinner after work.
We also recommend stopping by for late-night pasta and spending a slightly special evening.
We felt that TRATTORIA noi will become even more beloved as a place people want to drop into. If it sounds appealing, be sure to pay a visit.
TRATTORIA noi details
| Name | TRATTORIA noi |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-2-18 Ekimae, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 080-6379-9152 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | Lunch: 11:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Dinner: 5:30 p.m.–10:00 p.m. Late-night pasta: 10:00 p.m.–1:00 a.m. (irregular) |
| Closed | Mondays and irregular days |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted Lunch is served in two seatings. First seating: from 11:30 a.m. Second seating: from 1:15 p.m. |
| Seating | 12 seats: two 4-person tables and two 2-person tables |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Website | TRATTORIA noi |
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