An hour outside of Milan, Chef Ezio Santin has been holding court at his restaurant Antica Osteria del Ponte since 1976. Though he was a late comer to the kitchen – before becoming a chef at his own restaurant at age 39 he was a salesman of foods and wines – this hasn’t stopped him from rising to the highest ranks of the culinary arts to win two Michelin stars.

Tokyo residents have been lucky enough to enjoy his personal take on Lombardian regional menus on the 36th floor of Marunoichi Building since 2002, where Antica Osteria has a broad and elegant dinning room as well as two small private rooms facing Chiba and the harbor with comfortable plush couches, a Murano chandelier and entertaining historical photographs.

A meal there starts unobtrusively, with a refreshing simplicity. The waiter pours a glass of Monsupello, a dry spumanti made of Pinot Nero – a red grape used for white sparkling wine -- that is snappy on the upper palate. The amuse bouche is a single delicate rosemary cracker topped with a creamy ricotta cheese and black olive mix. This is quickly followed by another taste sensation -- a single firm scallop dipped in olive oil and topped with sweet yellow and red peppers, onions, celery, capers and cucumber. A selection of bread is offered, from whole wheat bread with a crunchy crust to pale white, light ciabata to chewy nut breads.