I went here with a friend for lunch. The restaurant is nicely decorated but not exactly fancy ... it has a casual feel. When we got there (around 12:30) it was mostly empty except for a couple business dudes finishing their meal at a nearby table.
For $8 at lunch you get salad, soup, and the main course (pasta). For that price, it was definitely worth it. The salad was standard lettuce and dressing, the soup was a bisque. Both were decent. I had the salmon pasta and my friend had the one with bacon. Both were good and it was just enough food for us both to be satisfied without feeling super full and bloated. :)
Our server was attentive and helpful throughout our meal. The only negatives were that the Japanese influence on the Italian food was rather slight (it seemed like mostly Italian food with a slight Japanese twist) and nothing really stood out as being spectacular. However it was a comfortable experience for lunch and I'd definitely come back if I'm in the area and want a cheap and casual lunch place.