----------------------------------- Olrik Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:26 am Re: Shinjuku restaurants - European food ----------------------------------- Michel Troisgros - Cuisine Adress: 2-7-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo. Japan 160-0023 Lunch - 11:30 am to 2:00 pm Dinner - 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm TEL: 03-3348-1234 Dress Code: Smart Elegant - Tenue correcte exigee Menu: French, English, Japanese Credit Card: OK Michelin guide 2008 - 2 * http://www.cuisinesmicheltroisgros.com/ http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/7273/p1120294sx1.jpg Newly installed in the Hyatt Regency Tokyo, in the heart of the business center of Shinjuku area, the Michel Troisgros restaurant was designed by the SuperPotato agency, for an alliance of good tastes. Well known in France, with a three star restaurant in Roanne, Michel Troisgros was recently awarden by two stars in Tokyo. A good opportunity to make a review for secret-japan. When a bunch of french men with ties, jackets and cigarettes come inside a gastronomic restaurant, it's the "coup de feu". Despite the fact that all the staff was thinking we were undercover critics from the michelin guide and sometimes shaking when it comes around us, they all were very professional and trying to do it in the tongue of Moliere. We also noticed the good choice made especially by the sommelier, who earn for himself all my gratitude. http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4790/p1120308vd3.jpg The menu got a strong appetite for the "nouvelle cuisine", mixing french classic (veal, pigeon…) with a lot of japanese variations and products. The extensive (and expensive) wine list got some of the best french wine, going between a strong bourgogne accent (Michel Troigros’ s predilection) and some of the best Bordeaux or Alsacian wines, but if you’re looking after variety here, pass away. Not a lot of Californian or Italian wines either. http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/2743/p1120307yt4.jpghttp://img170.imageshack.us/img170/1598/p1120314ku6.jpghttp://img111.imageshack.us/img111/502/p1120315ca6.jpghttp://img95.imageshack.us/img95/9800/p1120318ct9.jpg After serving the “amuse-bouches” offered by the restaurant (an agrume soup made of green peas, and a tofu garnished by urchins tartare with some small starters), we enjoyed a lot the first dish. The “Veal, green asparagus and avocado with "vitello" sauce" was truly interesting, except the fact that the veal was a little bit like a sashimi. The “Yuzu pepper-flavoured John dory with cucumber jelly and tomato frappe” tasted wonderful, in particular the John dory fish. The dinner course with some “Scallops "saltimbocca" was more “classic”, but also very impressive for a simple dish. Add to that an excellent Gevrey-Chambertin 1998 from Regnard, and all the dish seems to be truly amazing. http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/378/p1120300ds6.jpg For the next dish, i remember how i like the pigeon (and particulary the pigeon from Taillevent, in Paris) and tried the “Caramelised pigeon almond flavour”, when my friend tested the “Crispy Okinawan pork with green mango and Chinese cabbage". For telling you the truth, i was truly shocked by the pigeon. Again the meat was just a little bit grilled, but the more disturbing thing is the caramelized side, who was too sweet to understand what’s the idea behind this dish. A very schizophrenic pigeon if you want mine. The Okinawan pork was more confident, and the alliance with the mango was more interesting, but not enough to have this special thing, when you eat something truly delicious. http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/7369/p1120339cv2.jpghttp://img170.imageshack.us/img170/5972/p1120331ox9.jpghttp://img111.imageshack.us/img111/5306/p1120342pv9.jpg After the pigeon, I was a little bit "dubitatif" with the rest of the dinner, and the staff seems to be upset about my tastes. But sometimes, life is made of divine surprises, and this night, we got a splendid. The cheeses. Yes, the cheeses was so interesting and truly delicious that all my anger against the pigeon seems to be old story ! Choose especially by Herve Mons, Maitre Ouvrier de France (one of the best in the category), we had some of the best side of french classic. A divine and fantastic brie de meaux truffe, who still haunt my nights, and if you add to that a Pouilly Fusse "vignes blanches", you forget the rest ! http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/5083/p1120343rn5.jpghttp://img111.imageshack.us/img111/4345/p1120351vi4.jpghttp://img170.imageshack.us/img170/8664/p1120353il6.jpg White wine, cheese, pigeon, it was hard to want a dessert. But with a dessert list who owns "un jeu dangereux entre le poivron et la framboise”, your appetite came back in a hurry ! I'm not a warrior, so I choose a more classic “Chocolate souffle flavoured with star anise” and i was not shocked or disturbed, but just satisfied and happy. A great prize to achieve in cuisine nowadays. http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/8436/p1120357rg6.jpg Conclusion: We've understand that here, in Tokyo, in a galaxy far away from France and the empire of gastronomics critics, Michel Troisgros wanted to try and surprise our tastes. To clash the classics with some Japanese variations. Mission accomplished. Maybe too much… Oh yeah, i forgot: Be prepared to an expensive bill... But consider it's almost a decent price if you compare with Paris, London or Moscow restaurants ! And sorry for the english, i'm french, it's already difficult everyday... :D