La Table de Joel Robuchon - A Taste of Paris in the Middle of Tokyo

Of course my priority was to eat Japanese food while in Japan, but with the world renowned Joel Robuchon chateau literally right across the street from our hotel, how could I resist?!

Surprisingly, there are more Joel Robuchon locations in Tokyo than anywhere else in the world (yes, even Paris). La Table and L’Atelier both have 2 Michelin stars, while the Chateau Restaurant has 3. The chateau was built especially for Robuchon’s establishments – La Table on the first floor, Rouge Bar on the second, the Chateau Restaurant on the third, and I believe a private dining room at the very top. The soft yellow chateau looked so strange sitting next to all these modern skyscrapers and shopping centers…like it was transported from another time, and dropped right into the middle of Tokyo. However, because the chateau was so new and pristine and the décor felt contrived, the place lacked the old world charm of France.

Because it was such a lovely night, we asked to have dinner outside in the courtyard. I’m glad we were able to enjoy our meal under the open sky instead of the stuffy dining room. The courtyard felt much more intimate and cozy, especially since we had it all to ourselves. It was also kind of surreal to look up and see the glowing lights of the chateau on one side and two looming skyscrapers on the other.

The service was pleasant. Although dressed very formally, our waiters were quite approachable and genuine. Unfortunately, their English wasn’t as good as their Japanese or French so there was a bit lost in translation during the description of our courses (actually I should say it was unfortunate that *we* didn’t speak better Japanese and French since we were the foreigners).

Carrot Custard with Chicken Consommé Gelée – This was an delightful and unique amuse bouche. I really enjoyed the contrast of the carrot custard’s creamy decadence with the savory taste and firm jelly texture of the chicken consommé gelée.

Asparagus ‘Cappucino’ Soup with Crab Meat – I love when soup comes out at a nice hot temperature that warms my inside up. This soup was rich, yet light and frothy. The flavors of the asparagus and the sweet crab meat were a perfect combination.

Sea Bream with Prosciutto, Piquillo Pepper, and Paprika Coulis – This was probably the most average dish of the night. The sea bream was nicely cooked – delicate meat with a crispy skin crust, but the flavors were unremarkable. The paprika coulis or the piquillo pepper didn’t really do anything for the dish.
Saga Beef Roasted with Wild Mushrooms and Seasonal Vegetables – By far, the MOST INCREDIBLE piece of beef that I’ve ever had. My mouth still waters when I think of this Saga beef. I used to think Kobe was premium, but this Saga steak was absolutely orgasmic. The clean, velvety flavors just melted in my mouth. A tiny jar of French mustard came with my dish, but I was reluctant to put anything on such a *perfect* piece of meat, especially since I’m not a fan of mustard. I finally decided to put just a teeny-tiny bit on because I thought the chef must have recommended it for a reason, right? Oh man, was he right!! The mustard was so subtle and delicate that it didn’t mask the taste of the beef, but actually enhanced the Saga’s lush savory flavors by tenfold! This dish was heavenly.
Peach Tart Topped with Figs, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Whipped Cream – A wonderful dessert to complete our meal. It satisfied my sweet tooth but wasn’t too filling or sugary.
Although B’s main entrée and dessert weren’t as exceptional as mine, the overall experience was fantastic and I look forward to dining at other Joel Robuchon restaurants around the world. I’m glad that the French food here wasn’t altered for the Japanese palate (much of the food at foreign restaurants here is “Japan-ified”). The flavors were rich and complex and the techniques were classically French.

BITE METER: La Table de Joel Robuchon – 4.3 bites (out of 5)