01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Choosing a plate from long lists of garlic-oil, tomato, cream, and meat sauces is half the pleasure for any pasta lover. Tucked into Asakusabashi 3-chome, dining bar PASTA&BAR DARK-HORSE lives up to its name, functioning comfortably as both a pasta-centered eatery and a relaxed neighborhood bar.
Pasta Built Around Sauces and Ingredients
Scanning the menu reveals aromatic garlic-oil preparations ranging from a straightforward peperoncino to pairings like mussels with fresh basil, or whitebait with heaps of scallions. The house meat sauce can be customized to suit your mood, whether finished with eggplant and mushrooms or enriched with fresh mozzarella and basil. Cream sauces, including rich carbonara and duck with asparagus and lemon, expand the options further, and tomato-based sauces can even be dialed up to an arrabbiata with hot spices, making it hard to exhaust the possibilities even on repeat visits.
Thoughtful Small Plates for Casual Drinks
The tapas and warm appetizers are equally well thought out, whether ordered as starters or between drinks. Diners can snack on garlic toast with a house sauce laced with aromatic almond, wine-steamed mussels and mushrooms with broth made for sipping, or browned baked cheese. Pourings include draught beer, carafes of wine, various shochu sours, whiskies, and cocktails, accommodating leisurely drinks well into the evening.
A Relaxed Setting from Counter to Terrace
Counter seating sits alongside tables, suiting solo patrons dropping in for lunch or an evening drink. A terrace extends the space outside, where dogs are welcome to join diners. Weekday business runs 11:30–14:30 and 17:30–23:30. Payment is cash only, so remember to bring yen when you visit.
