Fregoli

The appeal of horse-meat carpaccio lies in tasting how the different cuts compare on one plate. At Fregoli, the carpaccio uses 5 cuts of horse from Kumamoto Prefecture: tenderloin, futaego, tongue, heart and mane. One diner writes that the selection offered everything from a pleasantly chewy texture to fat that seemed to melt in the mouth. Another visitor enjoyed the mane, a cut they would not usually choose. For anyone unfamiliar with horse meat, the assortment seems a good way to start and get to know the character of each cut.

The smoked mackerel and potato salad is another dish where the suggested way of eating it is worth noting. One visitor was encouraged to break up the mackerel and mix it with the potato, and was surprised by how well the flavours worked together. Sharing a starter like this alongside the horse-meat dishes brings a different taste to the table between bites of the various cuts.

Staff can suggest wines to accompany the food, and the wine is described as poured generously by the glass. For a meal centred on meat, options include grilled Kumamoto horse skirt, noted for its charcoal aroma and savoury flavour, and horse lips braised in red wine. The braise is described as having the distinctive springy texture of lips, different from beef or pork. To finish, the menu suggests linguine with creamy sea urchin and a gentle tang of tomato after the meat dishes.

With counter and terrace seating, the restaurant is also presented as suitable for group meals. At Fregoli in Ebisu, build an evening around comparing cuts, with starters and wine alongside.