Recte

I had the opportunity to visit "Recte" for my last lunch in Tokyo before leaving Japan. Bittersweet, for I was both saddened that my stay in Japan had come to and end but the sweet lay in the fact that the lunch was a glorious ending. Chef Sasaki is responsible for the delightful "Menu de Saison", inspired by the gastronomy of the South of France (where he spent close to a decade training in Nice, Provence, Arles etc...). He is meticulous and talented, but above all, shares a genuine understanding and passion of food. His flavors are symbiotic, and he imparts within each dish creativity and, most importantly, deliciousness (not sure that's a word). Take "Aji", the horse mackerel. Popular in Japan and South Korea, it is an inherently cultural ingredient. Yet Chef Sasaki pairs it with a "ratatouille". Yes, skepticism can be an initial reaction. But when you take a bite, the slight acidity of the bell peppers and tomatoes within the ratatouille is a beautiful partner to the briny, natural flavor of the mackerel. When you walk up the stairs leading up to this restaurant, you are hungry. When you walk down the stairs from this restaurant, you'll be quite full, but you'll still be thinking about food.

One of the most detailed sensitive French I’ve had. You walk for a couple of minutes from Ebisu station and is on the second floor of a small building. Can’t believe a restaurant like this exists in the neighborhood. Every dish was super detail oriented and you can tell the chef really thought through the texture and taste. Highly recommend to try it once. You should know basic Japanese since the waiter only speaks Japanese I believe.

One of the best French restaurant in Japan. The chief had been trained in France fir 9 years. All the dishes are delicious. The waiter can speak simple English.