The prosciutto and mozzarella fritters and the cherry tomato and basil bruschetta at Bottega Campagne in Kawanishi, Japan. (Janiqua Robinson/Stars and Stripes)
My momma taught me how to ride the train, decipher a schedule and load a metro card.
I’d say she didn’t realize the confidence and independence she was instilling in me, but that’d be far from the truth. My mom is always teaching me to be fearless and inquisitive in all things, even train travel.
That lesson has helped me navigate not only the busy D.C. Metro, but the subway in New York the Amtrak up and down the East Coast, the many trains connecting Vicenza to Sorrento, Italy; and now the punctual systems that shuttle people throughout Japan.
Two stops from the Iwakuni Station in the rural town of Kawanishi sits a dimly lit Italian eatery called Bottega Campagne.
Bottega Campagne, an Italian eatery in Kawanishi, Japan, features a wood-fired oven from Naples. (Janiqua Robinson/Stars and Stripes)
The rustic smell of a wood-fired oven flown in from Naples greeted me and I was reminded of the restaurant where I waitressed through college. I was seated directly in front of the pizza-making station and the waiter explained the specials and what QR code to scan to begin my order.
I started with the cherry tomato and basil bruschetta for 649 yen, or about $4.08. The buttery crunch of the bread perfectly complemented the tomatoes’ fresh acidity, and the small size left enough room in my stomach for the second antipasto. I had already worked out that morning, so it was OK to indulge, I rationalized.
The prosciutto and mozzarella fritters for 649 yen had a satisfying cheese-pull and a crispy outside. The red sauce added just the right amount of sweet to the salty flavor in the center.
The noodles at Bottega Campagne in Kawanishi, Japan, have the perfect texture to hold the creamy egg-rich sauce. (Janiqua Robinson/Stars and Stripes)
After a few sips of my crisp ginger ale, it was time for the carbonara — 1,419 yen — with the option for a larger portion of pasta for 275 yen that could be divided into two plates for no additional charge.
The noodles had the perfect texture to hang onto the creamy egg-rich sauce and the fatty chunks of ham made me close my eyes, shake my head quietly and savor the flavor.
If you’re at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and craving Italian food, hop on the Gantoku Line and give Bottega Campagne a try.
You’ll find Bottega Campagne two stops from the Iwakuni Station in the rural town of Kawanishi. (Janiqua Robinson/Stars and Stripes)
Bottega Campagne
Location: 2-7-25 Kawanishi, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi 741-0082
Hours: Open 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and Sunday; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays. Closed Tuesdays.
Prices: The most expensive pastas and pizzas are just over $14.
Dress: Casual
Directions: About a 3-minute walk from Kawanishi Station on the Gantoku Line.
Information: Online: instagram.com/bottega_campagne1984; campagne.co.jp
