pretty much recovered

Yep, I can tell because for dinner I ate a pizza with a base of oily pesto and toppings of mozzarella, salami, asparagus, and a gooey soft-boiled egg. I would have taken a picture but after I popped the egg it was faaaar from photogenic. The restaurant named this pizza ミラネーゼ("Milanese"), and the basil pesto base was called ジェノベーゼ ("Genovese"). I imagine Genoa and Milan would be a little bewildered. (It's a crazy world I live in!)

I really miss Italian food from the states (sorry, but I've never had Italian food from Italy with which to compare). It's just that the Japanese are a bit too adventurous -- nay, downright irreverent with their interpretations of ethnic cuisine, and the ever-reliable pastas and pizzas have not escaped unscathed. Pasta types other than blase, textureless spaghetti or penne are oft overlooked. Pizza crust is often soggy and the cheese tastes processed. Pizza or pasta toppings regularly include corn, mayonnaise, squid, sea urchin...or all of the above. (yargle.)

I love pizza, though, so any time I see a restaurant with a real wood-burning oven, I have to give it a shot. At least the crust will be fool-proof, right? So far I'm 2 for 3: one really amazing pizza (the award-winning "Samurai" pizza at a place called Cheese-Cheese in Sapporo), one pretty good pizza bianco at a place near me, and then today's mediocre "Milanese."

One month till I'm home and I can gorge myself on California Pizza Kitchen! Their Pear and Gorgonzola is my ambrosia...