If you find yourself in Kochi on Valentine's Day or any other special occasion, the Italian restaurant, Villa Vitis, is the place to go for a memorable date and a classy lunch or dinner.
The interior is very modern, and all the tables are topped with pure white table cloths. On first look, I realized, "This is not a place for a klutz like me." And, sure enough, it wasn't as I managed to flip over a dish full of olive oil for dipping bread all over that nice table cloth. If you're also a little clumsy, you might feel like you're walking on eggshells the whole time, but the food definitely makes it worth it.
While it can't be considered cheap, I actually think the pricing is incredibly reasonable for the value of the overall experience. For lunch, you have your choice of two set meals, or a full course lunch. The cheapest of these options is the 'A Lunch' for 1,575 yen. You get a salad, soup, bread, your choice of pasta or risotto of the day, and the daily desert.
The quality of the food combined with the great service and nice atmosphere is why I feel Villa Vitis is actually priced very well. I can imagine a similar experience in Tokyo and the price you would have to shell out—at least double. Actually, very run-of-the-mill Italian restaurants in America generally cost about the same after you've included the tip, and that's for chain food you can get anywhere.
While it is priced well, you can definitely overspend if you decide to splurge for a special occasion. For dinner, most appetizers and entrees cost an average of about 1,600 yen. Get a few of those and add a couple glasses of wine to your evening, and you can see how quickly it can all add up. If you need more than that, you're probably better off going for one of the course options starting at 5,250 yen.
Villa Vitis is definitely not the only great Italian food you can find in Kochi, but it's probably the best I've experienced. I'd prefer a more "at home" kind of atmosphere, but that's probably just due to my own clumsy tendencies.
As with everything downtown, Villa Vitis is extremely easy to get to, and being on the ground level makes it a cinch to find.
If you're going to be traveling over an anniversary or any other special occasion, you might as well plan to have it in Kochi as you can enjoy a memorable night of luxury without the complete bank-busting prices of the big cities.
