Marcassin (マルカッサン)

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The photos are from two amazing dinner I had in this bistro specialised in “gibier”(game meat). I’ll write the details later but the wild boar(“inoshishi”) is a must get. For me, gibier cuisine has been expensive and hit-and-miss experiences so far, but everything I had in this bistro was fantastic and it was inexpensive and every yen worth it.

Marcassin (マルカッサン)
Add: 1-22-11 Ginza, Chuo-ku (Near Kabukiza Theater in east Ginza)
Tel: 03-3564-0335

Brasserie Paul Bocuse Daimaru Tokyo

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鴨のテリーヌ カンパーニュ風。
Duck Terrine Campagne style.
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ガンバス海老のポワレ リゾットと共に(+¥300)。
“ムッシュ ポール・ボキューズ”のクレーム・ブリュレ。
Pan-fried Gambas prawn with risotto(+Y300).
Creme Brulee.
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From the Y2860 lunch course(+Y300 for the prawn).

I’m quite impressed by this place! Honestly I wasn’t expecting high for this place because it’s located on the top floor of a department store(Daimaru Tokyo) and we could easily get a table for a weekend lunch even though we only booked the night before….but I was surprised by how high the quality of the food was. Appetizer, main, dessert….everything was so well prepared and delicious. Plus we got a table next to the window and had a nice view over the streets. All of that for about Y4000(including a glass of champagne which was reasonably priced). Incredible value!

Menu 1, 2.

Brasserie Paul Bocuse Tokyo Daimaru

Le Cafe Plus A

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エスカルゴのマッシュルーム詰めグラタン、サラダを添えて。
サンマルチアーノ種トマトのソフトクリーム サラダ仕立て。
Escargot stuffed mushroom gratin with salad.
Tomato softcream with salad.
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鴨のコンフィと椎茸とじゃが芋のソテー。
軽いブランマンジェ、キルシュ風味のアングレーズ。
Duck confit with sauteed shiitake mushroom and potato.
Blanc Manger in Anglaise sauce.

All the above are from the 4000 yen dinner course which includes 2 appetizers, 1 main dish and dessert.

Went on a Sunday evening and we were the only customer throughout the whole night. I read from some food blogs beforehand that it’ll get quite expensive if you order from the a la carte, and the set course is of better value. So even though the waiter was a little overly eager to recommend us the a la carte and even said that “the set course might be a bit small in portion”, we ordered the set course anyway. And he was not lying, the portion was a little small. The taste was not bad in general, considering the price, but the service was kinda spotty – there weren’t that many options to choose from the set course and not all of us could choose what we wanted because they could only provide limited portions for each choice. After some compromising among us and we had decided our choices, they told us that they had mistaken the number of available portions, and such confusion happened not just once but twice….

Le Cafe Plus A

Le Petit Tonneau Kudanshita (ル・プティ・トノー@九段下)

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豚ほほ肉赤ワイン煮 チョコレート風味、¥1800。
Pork cheek meat red wine stew with chocolate flavour, Y1800. This one is the best lunch I had in this place. I tried a couple of stewed meat lunch after this but they didn’t taste as good.

I think this place is pretty well-known among foreigners living in Tokyo. Its nearest station is Kudanshita but it is less than 10 mins walk from Jimbocho. I’ve had dinner here before long time ago(see tag). This post is made up of entirely weekday lunch visits when the menu is cheaper than the weekends’. On weekdays, this place is packed with Japanese salarymen and OLs, occasionally you see groups of foreigners or old Japanese couples who seem happy to talk to the foreigner staff in French.

Food-wise, I must say the quality varies depending what you order. The Y1050 spaghetti/short pasta/risotto lunch are very standard and not bad for a workday lunch. The Y1800 meat/fish lunch can range from “delicious!” to “hmm okay” to “…..terrible”. The portion also depends on the day. I guess if you come here for >10 times and you average out all the lunches, you will get a rating somewhere around “not bad”.
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豚挽のトマトファルシ サラダ添え、¥1800。
Tomato Farcie with grounded pork, Y1800.
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豚バラ赤ワイン煮 白いんげん豆添え、¥1800。
Pork belly red wine stew, white kidney beans, Y1800.
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シュークルート、¥1800。
Choucroute, Y1800.
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桜海老 トマトソース スパゲティ、¥1050。
黄桃のタルト、¥300。
Sakura-ebi(prawn) tomato sauce spaghetti, Y1050. Yellow peach tart, Y300.
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的鯛とケッパーのリゾット、¥1050。
Matou-dai(fish) and caper risotto, Y1050.
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仔羊のロースト、¥1800。
Roasted lamb, Y1800.
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牛ホホ肉のビール煮込み 赤キャベツのブレゼ添え、¥1800。
Cow cheek beer stew with red cabbage braiser, Y1800.
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いとよりのブレゼ、岩のりのリゾット添え、¥1800。
Itoyori(fish) braiser and seaweed risotto, Y1800. I think fish lunch is generally better than meat lunch.
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鮮魚のポワレ ムール貝のスープ仕立て、¥1800。
Pan-fried fish with mussel and soup, Y1800.
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かさごのポワレ かぶとベーコンのクリーム煮、¥1800。
Pan-fried Kasago, turnip and bacon cream stew, Y1800.
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かきクリームのスパゲッティ、¥1050。
Oyster cream spaghetti, Y1050.
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仔羊肉とキャベツのショートパスタ、¥1050。
Baby lamb and cabbage short pasta, Y1050.
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目鯛のポワレ キャベツのブレゼ、¥1800。
Pan-fried Medai and cabbage braiser, Y1800.
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ステーキ フリット、¥1800。
Steak and frites, Y1800.
Menu: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.

Le Petit Tonneau – Kudanshita (ル・プティ・トノー@九段下)

Comme d’habitude (コム・ダビチュード)

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地鶏のムースと栗のスープ。
Delicious homemade bread. Chicken mousse with chestnut soup.
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ごぼうのスープに魚のフライを添えて。田舎風パテ、コム・ダビチュードスタイル。
Gobo(burdock root) soup with pan-fried fish.
Country pate, Comme d’habitude style.
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イノシシのシヴェ(赤ワイン煮込み)。
Wild boar stewed in red wine. Comes with endives and white asparagus.
Banana and white chocolate souffle.

Love this little French restaurant in Ikejiri(one stop from Shibuya). Very tiny place with only 3 tables for 2(kinda cramped together), a few counter seats, and a table for 4 tugged at a corner. We had the 3500yen lunch course which includes 2 appetizers, main, dessert and coffee. I chose my main from the “gibier” menu so there was an additional charge of 1000yen(but it was totally worth it). More essential $$ details: there is no service charge, tax included, free refill of bread(you’ve got to ask though), free plain water(there is also a big list of mineral water), glass wine is 750~1100yen. The food was delicious and my friend was very impressed by the minimum amount of salt used – the usual unpleasant pangs of thirst didn’t follow.

Bought some scones from globe antiques which is nearby.

Comme d’habitude(コム・ダビチュード)
Add: 2-7-4 Ikejiri, Setagaya-ku
Tel: 03-3487-7686

Chef’s Table R&D (シェフズターブル R&D)

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0706230015若鶏モモ肉のロースト、レモンと焦がしバター風味、ネギソース、¥1000。
1000yen lunch includes a main dish, bread or rice, dessert and coffee. Salad(150yen) is an additional order. Today’s meat dish is roasted chicken thigh with lemon and burnt butter, onion sauce. Dessert is caramel pudding with cherries.

A casual French cafe in Akihabara. A bit out of the way from the main shopping area, but it is only a few minutes walk from Akihabara station. Value for money is great considering you only pay 1000~1500yen for pretty decent food in generous amount. Taste-wise there is still room for improvement but really, thinking of the price I have only praises for this place. It is just the chef cooking everything himself so delivery can be a bit slow, but no matter how busy the place is the food is always freshly prepared. Lunch is available on weekdays and also on Saturday – for some reason it is never crowded on Saturday.

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もち豚ロースステーキ、シャルキュティエールソース + カサゴのポワレ バルサミコソース。
若鶏ムネ肉のロースト、レモン風味マスタードソース + メカジキのムニエル フレッシュトマトソース。
Left: Pork loin steak in Charcutiere Sauce + Kasago(rockfish) in Balsamic sauce.
Right: Roasted chicken breast with lemon, mustard sauce + Meuniere of Mekajiki(swordfish) in fresh tomato sauce.
The 1300yen lunch plate consists of fish and meat, both of which are so big that it is like having two main dishes. If you don’t say anything, bread(always reheated) will be served, but you can ask for rice which I prefer.
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0809040092ステーキランチ: 本日のスープ、牛サーロインステーキ、パンまたはライス、¥1500。
Sirloin steak lunch. For 1500yen I didn’t really expect good quality beef but it turned out to be surprisingly tender and soft. This is regular menu.

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仔羊のハンバーグ フレッシュトマトソース + スズキのポワレ マスタード風味クリームソース。
1300yen lunch. Lamb hamburger in fresh tomato sauce + Suzuki in mustard cream sauce.
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アッシェパルマンティエ(挽肉とジャガイモの重ね焼き) + サーモンのポワレ キノコ入りカレーソース。
Hachis parmentier + Salmon in curry sauce with mushroom.
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もち豚のローストポーク、レモンと焦がしバターのソース + カラスガレイのムニエル、バジルソース。
Roasted pork with lemon and burnt butter sauce + Meuniere of Karasu-garei in basil sauce.
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カサゴのポワレ バルサミコソース。
1000yen lunch. Kasgo in Balsamic sauce. Caramel pudding with blueberry.
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若鶏ムネ肉のロースト、アンチョビレモンバターソース + サーモンのポワレ ラヴィゴットソース。
Roasted chicken breast in achovy lemon butter sauce + Salmon in ravigote sauce.
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サバのムニエル フレッシュトマトソース + 特製ポークハヤシライス、温泉玉子添え。
1300yen lunch. Meuniere of Saba in fresh tomato sauce + Pork hayashi rice with hotspring egg. Banana and coconut chocolate cake
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ローストポーク、マスタードソース。
豚バラ肉のステーキ マスタードソース + サーモンのポワレ アンチョビ風味レモンバターソース。
Left: Roasted pork mustard sauce.
Right: Pork belly steak in mustard sauce + Salmon in anchovy lemon butter sauce.

Lunch menu(J): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

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1002080021(Feb 08, 2010)
Was meeting a friend at Akihabara for dinner without prior planning and this place was the only option I could think of. I am sorry to say……the dinner was terrible. The quality of food here was good value for a cheap Y1000 lunch, but paying some 4000 yen gives you no better quality. It’s still a nice cafe to have lunch since there isn’t much around Akihabara train station. But better avoid having dinner here.

Chef’s Table R&D
Add: 3-35-5 Sakumacho, Kanda.
Tel: 03-3863-4562

Marche aux puces (ノミの市 Nomi no Ichi)

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オマール海老と茸のパイ包み焼き ラ・シブレットクリームソース(¥500)。
牛フィレステーキ フォアグラソテー添え(+¥800)。
Hot pie with lobster and mushroom, creme of chive sauce.
Filet of beef with hot foie gras.
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本日のフルーツタルト(イチジク)。クレームブリュレ。
Tarte aux fruits(fig). Creme brulee.
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0807030041Basic dinner course with amuse, appetizer, main and dessert is 3200yen(Tax included and no service charge). Many options in the menu to choose from but some of them have addtional charges like the appetizer and the main dish I had. Nonetheless the value is fantastic. The lobster pie which I’ve read many good reviews, is truly amazing. The accompanying chive sauce is so delicious that I mopped every bit of it with bread. Huge for an appetizer too. My main dish is also great but my friends’ beef harami steak and duck thigh confit, both without additional charge, are no less satisfying. Amongst the three desserts we tried(cassis sorbet not in pics) I like creme brulee the most – it is so common that I seldom choose it if I have other choices, but this one is exceptionally nice. See tag for lunch visit.

Menu 1, 2, 3, 4.

Marche aux puces (ノミの市)
Add: 2-5-8 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku
Tel: 03-5420-3691