It takes about 1 hour and 13 minutes by car from Naha Airport. It is an old private house Italian restaurant located at the base of Motobu Peninsula where Churaumi Aquarium and other facilities are located in Nago City. An Italian restaurant in an old private house in Okinawa is a bit unusual, but what exactly is this restaurant, which was just opened in June 2023?
Point 1: What is the location and appearance of “Old House Restaurant Hiratsu”?
Restaurant Hiratsu is located in Nago City, in the northern part of Okinawa’s main island. It is located at the base of Motobu Peninsula, where the Churaumi Aquarium is located.
There are several restaurants in this residential area, all of which have received high ratings on food logs and Gurunavi.
Some of them have moved to Okinawa, where ingredients are abundant, and their passion and seriousness about food can be seen.
The owner, Mr. Hiratsu, was the head chef of a hotel in Onna Village, and his dream was to open an “old private house restaurant” when he became independent, taking advantage of his taste for first-class hotels cultivated over the past 20 years.
Inside, there are eight tatami matted table seats and counter seats.
There is also a private room with tatami mats and toys for children to relax with.
Nago in the northern part of Okinawa’s main island is an area where only so-called “connoisseurs” among tourists go. The fact that they dared to open a restaurant there is an indication of their confidence that customers will come even if it is far away.
Point 2: What’s on the menu at “Old Folk House Restaurant Hiratsu”?
At the casual Italian “Old House Restaurant Hirazu,” you choose one main dish (pasta – paella – fish or meat) and take salad and homemade hors d’oeuvres from the buffet.
The restaurant uses plenty of vegetables grown in the prefecture and handmade dressings and other ingredients. There is a wide variety of daily hors d’oeuvres, and you can tell that they are carefully prepared.
The main dishes available are all so delicious that it is hard to choose just one. Many people keep coming back for a different main dish.
The concept of the restaurant is casual Italian food served with chopsticks in a tatami room, so you can enjoy Italian food frankly without any difficulties!
Point 3: “Old private house restaurant Hiratsu” uses Hachimun and Ryukyu glass!
All dishes at Restaurant Hiratsu are served on Ryukyuan yachimun (Okinawan pottery) and Ryukyuan glass.
It is a wonder that the solid and colorful Yachimun plates, earthenware pots, and cool Ryukyu glass match the Italian cuisine so strangely.
This unique matching, which I have never seen before, makes the dishes look even more attractive.
Of course, the food is a pleasure, but for repeat customers in particular, “what kind of plate will it be served with?
