The Ballon d’Or, meaning ‘Golden Ball’, is awarded each year to the most outstanding football player. Chef Iwata once dreamed of a future as a footballer, so it’s a fitting name for his restaurant. The concept is trattoria, with ‘everyday life in Italy’ as the theme and ‘golden risotto’, a dish Iwata learned as an apprentice, as the signature offering. The round mound of risotto shaped with his golden right hand glistens with the colour of saffron.