Watanabe Ryouri-mise (渡辺料理店)

⭐⭐⭐

🇫🇷 French / 📍 Monzen-Nakacho

📓 Visits: 1

One of the hot new openings for 2022. Koji Watanabe was head chef at L'ecrin for 3 years, one of the most iconic French restaurants in Tokyo which has been open since 1974. This brasserie is a much more relaxed affair with six tables for two and a counter seating four. At dinner a course menu is available for JPY 8,500 or you can go a-la-carte and choose from a blackboard. At lunch it's a choice between two fixed priced menus at JPY 2,500 and JPY 3,800 for two or three courses, respectively. Dessert is optional and priced at 600 yen. On my visit I had the three-course lunch. Menus are in Japanese only and no English is spoken.

First of all a single piece of marinated katsuo with turnip, oba sorbet and citrus. The citrus was not to my taste but the katsuo was reasonably fresh. This was followed by a somewhat forgettable leak and potato pottage. The fish dish was mussels, John Dory and cuttlefish in a shallot and butter sauce. This had great flavour but the fish was overcooked. For main there were four choices. I chose roast chicken. The chicken was from France and had good flavour and was served with a chasseur sauce, mushrooms and a saffron 'risotto'. I don't think I've heard the words "chasseur sauce" since 1991 but regardless it was delicious. The chicken was a little overcooked and the risotto was precooked and kept warm in the oven so very overcooked. The mains all looked to be a good size and I appreciated the fact that they didn't reduce the portion sizes if you chose the longer set menu, like at some places, and it seemed like I got an extra large portion with breast and two small legs. For dessert I selected Mont Blanc from a choice of three. This consisted of chocolate croquant, pudding, coconut sorbet and chestnut cream. The flavours got a bit muddled and there was a lack of fresh chestnut but with good coffee (not pictured) it was a reasonably pleasant sweet end to the meal. Bread (served warm but without butter) was very good. Refills are charged at 200 yen. Soft drinks were cheap at 500 yen each. A glass of champagne was 1,500 yen and a glass of wine from 1,100 yen.

I'd rate all dishes 7-7.5. As I mentioned, all the main elements in the fish and main were a little overcooked. There wasn't enough refinement in the cooking and nothing really 'pinged'. The main option of fish was cooked a-la-minute and I'm assuming there's less pre-cooked food at dinner so depending on when you go, what you order and who cooks it, you may find the cooking more precise.

First starter arrived after just two minutes but then service was slowed down for me so dishes could be batch served with other tables. Two chefs 'assist' Watanabe-san, though they seem to be doing most of the cooking. There is just one person waiting tables (chef's wife?). The restaurant was full on my visit and I was impressed she was able to handle a full restaurant by herself, introducing all dishes, maintaining a smile and (unlike chef) chatting with guests. Inevitably things like topping up water could be a little slow. This could easily be rectified by placing a jug of water on each table. She and chef saw every party out.

Despite the fact there was nothing stellar if reservations were easier and I was local I would go back. I spent more but it's possible to get 3 plates of proper French cooking, bread, coffee, a smile and change from 3000 yen which is very good for Tokyo.

Apicius, Chez Inno and chef's former L'ecrin are the Bermuda Triangle of French fine dining in Tokyo: a Michelin Star free zone that defies explanation. I'm not sure if the cooking here is quite good enough for it to earn a Star (or if chef wants one) but I'd expect the award of a Bib Gourmand this year.

📌 https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1313/A131303/13274535/

❓ My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 3.8

📱 Booking: 🟧 By phone, two months in advance for lunch or dinner. Seats for lone diners are a little easier to book and things should calm down a bit in the new year. No English spoken.
📍 Location:

📶 Free WiFi? ✅ Yes

📅 Visit September 2022

Menu B 3800
Dessert +600
Bread refill +200
Drinks 2x500

💴 Damage: 5,600 (cash only at lunch)
⏱️ Time taken: 1h15m

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