Liaison Azabudai

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🇫🇷 French / 📍 Azabudai Hills

📓 Visits: 1

The basic lunch course menu of about 9 courses is priced at JPY 8,800 and the basic dinner course menu of about 10 courses priced at JPY 13,200.  For another 5,500 you can upgrade the main to wagyu.  Prices are inclusive of tax but subject to 10% service charge.

I went for the cheapest lunch course.  The restaurant has two tables for four in the window and a split counter seating up to twelve.  The view from the window is nice but not amazing as the restaurant is only on the 3rd floor.  Unfortunately, if you're sat at the half of the counter I was you'll have your back to the window.

First up two canapes which were lacking in depth of flavour.  7.5/10.  The amuse was much better: smoked kawahagi tartar and its liver was always going to be a winner.  8.5/10.  Next cold chicken which tasted like breast poached in water (i.e. very little flavour) and a garnish that had even less flavour.  7/10.  Next anago, foie gras, daikon, Jerusalem artichoke puree and chips, Brussels sprouts with a balsamic sauce.  It was as if the dish had come from another restaurant.  A classic combination, a lobe of pan-fried foie gras and not one of those pate/terrine cheat jobs and an umami bomb.  Could only be improved by making it bigger.  9.9/10.  After a very ordinary fish course an unremarkable main dish of Ezo deer with sweet potato.  My only note was that the onion was watery.  7.5-8/10.  The first sweet item was the second best dish of the day: fresh buntan and yoghurt ice-cream.  8.5/10.  The strawberry dessert was a bit boring but I suppose you shouldn't complain at this price and the final item was a matcha marshmallow.

Each dish is relatively small but you get nine courses.  Bread wasn't great and was served with three flavours of butter.  The two I tried were poor and I didn't risk trying the 3rd.  The meal ended with a choice of tea or coffee.

The menu was printed in English and staff did their best to explain the dishes.  No sooner had I finished one dish then plates were cleared, cutlery changed and the next dish put down.  I arrived just after last orders so I got the impression they were trying to close the kitchen, though I didn't end up being the last party eating.  This was the speediest multi-course menu in my life.

I learned after my visit that Liaison is in Osaka and has held a Michelin Star since the 2019 Guide.  The structure of the menus seems to be the same at both the Osaka and Tokyo restaurants with pricing identical at lunch and slightly cheaper for dinner in Tokyo.  (The contents of the courses are different though.)  If the cooking is to the same standard as the Tokyo restaurant then I have no idea what makes it worthy of a Star.  My meal was very ordinary and forgettable and even the anago/foie gras won't be seared in my memory.  It'll be interesting to see what Michelin's take is on this restaurant for Tokyo Guide 2025.

📌 https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1307/A130704/13290174/

❓ My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 3.7

📱 Booking: 🟩 The Tabelog calendar shows availability.  You can book by phone in English.

📍 Location: 

3F JP Mori Tower, Azabudai Hills.  Kamiyacho Station Exit 5.

📶 Free WiFi? ✅ Yes

📅 Visit February 2024

🕛 Lunch 8,800

Kagoshima Earl Grey
new onion
Roasted DAISEN chicken,rape blossoms Couscous
Conger eel,Foie gras, Jerusalem artichoke saute
Pan-fried red sea bream.Kale puree
Ezo deer roti,Sweet potato
Pomelo&Yogurt
Strawberry and condensed milk espuma
Matcha guimauve

💴 Damage: 9,680 (8,800 + 10%)
⏱️ Time taken: 1h