Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura Tokyo
⭐⭐⭐
๐ฎ๐น Italian / ๐ Ginza
๐ Visits: 1
Prior to the "grand opening" there was a long "pre-opening" period from August 2021. Early reviews were not particularly encouraging. I always wait for major new openings to settle in before visiting so more reason to hold back my visit in the hope that the grand opening might bring Bottura over from Italy to launch the restaurant, really advance the menu and appoint a head chef. Well it's seems that only the last of those things have happened. You can't help not be intrigued though and when I noticed the minimum price would be going up to 12K in July I decided if I was ever going to go it would be better to go before then. The cheapest course during the pre-open was the 4-course lunch priced at JPY 7,000. Following the grand opening this choice was removed with the cheapest course now being the 5-course lunch priced at JPY 10,000. There doesn't seem to be have been much difference between these menus.
With such a big name it was already disappointing to learn that it would be unlikely that this restaurant would be troubling the World's 50 Best so I went with my expectations lowered. I was expecting food up to the standard of Bulgari Il Ristorante (review to come), an overall experience a touch more special but nothing Earth shattering. So pretty moderate. Unfortunately the restaurant couldn't even live up to that.
Chickpea waffle, fish mousse
Sake lees, ikura
Fish meringue
Chicken liver parfait, caramel, almonds
This was probably the most complete dish of the meal but still merely 6/10 with nothing remarkable.
First starter proper of wagyu tartar, monaka, caviar, saffron and Parmesan broth. The beef was good but that was all. 5/10.
Second starter of smoked bonito, watermelon reduction, tuna sauce, cherry sauce. Two thin slices of bonito and no more than four mouthfuls in total. Bonito was just fine but wouldn't trouble a top sushi restaurant. 5.5/10.
Pasta: pork, veal and mortadella tortellini, aged parmesan. This is one of the signature dishes from the three-Star restaurant. It was very good but very strongly flavoured, very rich and very one-note. It needed some fresh herbs or a smaller portion to work. It seems like with one of the more expensive menus you get two pastas and indeed a smaller portion. But with this menu, and small portions of everything else, perhaps the portion size here is to stop you leaving hungry. But it was just too much. The only truly classical dish on today's menu. (It's funny how often the classics are the best in modern restaurants.) 6.5/10. Could have been 8 with one of those corrections.
Main course of roast veal, lemon and tomato mousse and breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs are supposed to make this like a pizza (but not a pizza - get it? yeah, me neither). This was actively unpleasant. The lemon tasted like Lemsip. The mousse had a gluey texture and the veal had a tasteless and slimy quality you get from sous vide. Automatic entry into my book of worst dishes ever. 2/10.
Dessert was hazelnut semifreddo, vanilla ice-cream, meringue and balsamic. The ice-cream was airy and almost cheap tasting but perhaps the lightness was intended to counter the richness of the semifreddo. Whatever, the blackberries were the best thing on the plate. 4/10.
Finally good coffee and petit fours of walnut fudge, "tomato mozarella" and hazelnut chocolate. 5/10 for the petit fours.
Bread was very good. A second slice was brought out with the main course. Olive oil was OK but a bit disappointing. The focaccia and warm grisini that came out at the beginning were fine.
Staff are bi- or tri-lingual. Service was fine and not slowed down for me but completely lacking in personality. There's an elaborate concept behind all the dishes so just looking at the title gives little or nothing away. The waiter will explain all the concepts to you but it's all bollocks if the food isn't very good, it was difficult to hear everything from behind a mask and I lost interest quickly.
The restaurant is on the 4th floor but net curtains block any view. The dining space has a curious layout and curious decoration. Rectangular tables are arranged in a row like in a canteen. It felt faux-period, like the inside of a theme park. If you pay extra you can sit at genuinely antique Gucci furniture. There's a tiny roof terrace where you can have coffee and petit fours but it was closed on my visit due to rain.
If you're a foodie then forget Osteria Francescana. You might want to save your money and forget Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura Tokyo as well. There's only one word you need to know when it comes to this restaurant and that's Gucci. This is the 3rd Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in the World. Seoul opened in March this year while the established Florence and Beverly Hills outposts each have a Michelin star. I'm glad I'd forgotten about that on my visit as I would only have been even more disappointed. If you're looking to impress someone who's more interested in brands, posting on Instagram and showing off to friends than eating a good meal then this is the restaurant for you. I'm sure people are going to love the imaginative take on Italian dishes using Japanese ingredients. But for a restaurant in a similar price range, in the same area, an international brand, but where the service, view, roof terrace but most of all the food are all better, visit Il Ristorante or Beige.
๐ https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1301/A130101/13257180/
❓ My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 3.0
๐ฑ Booking: ๐ง From 10am daily a month in advance via TableCheck. They are usually fully booked so be quick or keep trying and you might get a cancellation.
๐ Location:
4F Gucci Namiki, 6-6-12 Ginza. 3 mins walk South-West from Ginza station. Dedicated street-facing entrance.
Map data ©2022 Google
๐ถ Free WiFi? ✅ Yes
๐ Visit June 2022
Menรน Degustazione L'Italia da Tokyo (5 portate):
[Amuse]
Torna in Italia con me
This is not a Vitello tonnato
Tortellini with Parmigiano Reggiano Cream
Pizza non pizza
Charley walks on Monte Fuji
[Petits fours]
[Coffee or tea]
๐ด Damage: 12,650 (10000 + one drink at 1500 + 10%)
⏱️ Time taken: 1h35m
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