Marco Gargaglia is the driving force behind the brand’s success, with spin-off locations in Rome and Milan. A restaurant that embraced Japanese charm a decade ago and is now setting the standard in Italy.
The Restaurant and the Chef
It’s curious and rather intriguing to think that just outside Perugia, you can enjoy one of the best Japanese dining experiences in Italy. Yet at the restaurant Il Vizio, located inside the Quattro Torri hotel, high-end Japanese cuisine is served, both as an omakase menu (available only for lunch by reservation on certain days of the week) and in the restaurant’s modern dining room. The substantial menu allows guests to strictly follow Japanese tradition or to be won over by uramaki, carpaccio, and tartare, relying on the freshness of the catch and a fusion philosophy. The owners’ intuition a decade ago to believe in a restaurant with an international profile has been vindicated, thanks in part to the choice of chef, Marco Gargaglia. As the name suggests, we are not talking about a Japanese professional but about a chef from Perugia born in 1983, who grew up with a passion for game, mushrooms, and truffles. These Umbrian culinary roots intertwine with the many Japanese chefs who flocked to Italian kitchens in the late 1990s, when Gargaglia gained his first professional experience.
“I was fascinated by their technique and precision, by how they sharpened their knives and used chopsticks—that’s how a cultural exchange began,” says the chef. “I gave them advice on pasta, cured meats, and Italian traditions, and they introduced me to the culinary traditions of the Land of the Rising Sun.” Marco Gargaglia continued to refine his skills, aided by a multi-year stint at one of Umbria’s first sushi restaurants, and in 2013 he joined Vizio, technically and mentally ready to take the leap to the next level, at the sole helm of his first kitchen team.
The Philosophy of Il Vizio
During his time at Il Vizio, the chef never felt he had “made it” and continued to nurture his passion for Japan with a team that always includes Japanese staff members whom Gargaglia trusts and encourages. For example, there is currently a very talented young man from Osaka in the kitchen who makes excellent gyoza and prepares a fantastic Tonkotsu ramen (a rich, flavorful broth made from Cinturello pork, thick noodles, chashu, nitamago, spicy sauce, and spring onions). Also from Osaka, a young man recently joined the team with experience in izakaya and exceptional skill in preparing seafood, having worked at a renowned fish market in the eastern metropolis. These factors create a dynamic, enthusiastic, and cosmopolitan team that embodies the ideals promoted by the Umbrian brand, bringing Japanese culinary expertise to the table with ingredients from the Adriatic Sea—for large fish—the Tyrrhenian Sea—for crustaceans and mollusks—and other typical products imported directly from Japan.
The Dishes
Watching Marco Gargaglia prepare the dishes, slice the tuna, and craft the nigiri with millimeter-perfect precision is an integral part of the experience, which unfolds with every bite. While the amuse-bouche plays with local ingredients—such as the Chianina beef tartare with tosazu sauce, oyster mayonnaise, and tobiko roe or the Bao bun with bianchetto truffles, truffle mayo, puffed rice chips with nori seaweed, avocado, and red shrimp—the first courses of the tasting menu open the door to Japanese cuisine.
The Akiri lean tuna tartare, tosazu jelly, umeboshi, and shiso leaves is a fascinating starter, enhanced by the umami of the Grilled oyster with butter, ponzu sauce, and chives. The chef spins the carousel of flavors with the briny notes of the Galician tuna and sea urchin temaki, which delights the palate right up to the char-seared red snapper sashimi with sake sauce, umeboshi, nori seaweed, and katsuobushi, where the tangy acidity of the sauce and the meaty texture of the fish provide a boost of flavor and character.
Then the nigiri parade begins. Squid, caviar, and finger lime; Cuttlefish and yuzu sauce; Mackerel marinated in rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, and scallions; Tuna belly; Fatty tuna, duck foie gras, and saba. Every bite evokes emotion and satisfaction, highlighting the chef’s skill and the quality of the ingredients. Finally, a spectacular trio consisting of A5-12 Wagyu nigiri with fleur de sel, seared Wagyu nigiri with yakiniku sauce (made with spring onion, ginger, and soy) and white truffle, and Comacchio eel nigiri with soy, sansho pepper, marinated cucumbers, and kombu dashi. Umami to the nth degree and impeccable flavor. To round out the meal, Matcha tea with Nashi pear ice cream and salted caramel.
A remarkable immersion in Japanese culture orchestrated by a highly skilled chef who keeps pace with the true itamae. His strength? Humility and the wisdom to listen to his kitchen staff and to constantly bring in new Japanese talent.
Il Vizio Perugia
Via Corcianese, 260, 06132 Perugia
https://www.ristoranteilvizio.it/locations/perugia/
