Happy blend

Italian and Japanese cuisines come together at family-friendly Happy Valley Pizza & Pasta

By Nadine Kam

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Oct 05, 2011

~~<p>Just like the Italians, the Japanese had their own “pasta” tradition, though with noodles more likely to be paired with seaweed and negi rather than tomatoes and basil. Who would have believed more than 20 years ago that combining both styles would result in a harmonious mixed marriage?</p>
<p>The first proponents of this combo came to town from Japan in the early 1990s, with timid dishes that were still more Japanese than Italian. But over the years, Japanese restaurateurs have pretty much perfected the formula. In recent years we’ve witnessed the success of this combo on the high end, at restaurants including Arancino, Taormina and Bernini, but it’s come back to the family level with Happy Valley Pasta & Pizza, where pastas range from $9.98 to $16.98 rather than $16 to $27.</p>
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Just like the Italians, the Japanese had their own “pasta” tradition, though with noodles more likely to be paired with seaweed and negi rather than tomatoes and basil. Who would have believed more than 20 years ago that combining both styles would result in a harmonious mixed marriage?

The first proponents of this combo came to town from Japan in the early 1990s, with timid dishes that were still more Japanese than Italian. But over the years, Japanese restaurateurs have pretty much perfected the formula. In recent years we’ve witnessed the success of this combo on the high end, at restaurants including Arancino, Taormina and Bernini, but it’s come back to the family level with Happy Valley Pasta & Pizza, where pastas range from $9.98 to $16.98 rather than $16 to $27. Login for more...