Eat at the Grand Hyatt and expectations are high. Appetizers and pizzas average ¥120; main courses, ¥230; windows frame spectacular views of the Pearl Tower. The measured atmosphere – tables are centered around an open kitchen and a brick oven – relaxes the hotel stiffness a bit, making Cucina feel more trattoria than formal restaurant. But the expectations are still there, running step by step with the hotel’s 15 percent service charge, and amplify the restaurant’s small trip-ups.

Granted, none of them are major. The bread underneath the bruschetta’s heaped cubes of tomato, generous slices of parma ham, melted mozzarella, and olive oil, was stale when we went; the limp tuna tartar and calzone both underseasoned, and roasted potatoes undercooked. Getting that last detail correct – that’s what we were expecting at Cucina’s prices. The thin pizzas with stone-baked crusts and generous toppings made it. Except for the blandness, the calzone would have been great, with vast quantities of ricotta and melted mozzarella oozing around ham and salami. And the fragrant rack of lamb that the potatoes played the side to was excellent. The end wowed us at least – in the world’s most tiramisu-saturated city, Cucina’s creamy version stands out.

It’s all a bit picky, really. But Cucina isn’t your average restaurant. They should wow you before dessert, and not with the views. That’s not to say Cucina’s food isn’t good. But when dinner for two tops ¥1,300, you expect just a little bit more.