Cuisine:

• French

L'Osier Description:
Tucked away in a side street in Tokyo's glitzy Ginza district, this Art Nouveau-inspired restaurant is among our top choices for a fine French meal. It's fine dining without the usual stuffiness that accompanies a meal at the Tokyo restaurants of world-famous names that have descended into town from France and opened shop. The food is classic with a creative twist, the atmosphere elegantly cozy, and the service relaxed but uncompromising. There are more staff than diners so you will never be wanting for anyone, including a minder to escort you to the washroom, and another to pick up a falling napkin even before it reaches the floor. Bruno Ménard, former chef of The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta's The Dining Room, is young, extremely talented and very ambitious. When he's not in the kitchen, he's probably exchanging pleasantries with the VIPs at the corner table, inspecting the petits fours wagon display, or rushing downstairs to greet another set of regulars who have just handed in their coats. Nothing escapes his notice where food and service are concerned. He delights Tokyo's gourmets with this local gem; and we're sure it's just a matter of time until his specialties---like warm buckwheat buns flavored with truffles and topped with cold cream and crunchy vegetables, or sautéed foie gras served with butternut squash and ginger---gain a wider international following. This 40-cover restaurant, which is owned and liberally financed by Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido, is notoriously hard to book, so plan your meal in advance. The wait is worth it.


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