Benoit Tokyo – Alain Ducasse Bistro in Japan

Benoit Tokyo is a sister restaurant of the one Michelin Star BENOIT bistrot in Paris which has a long history. They are both part of the vast Alain Ducasse empire. After Japanese food, French cuisine is our next favourite type of food in Tokyo. With the reputation of the celebrity chef, a 4.4 Google reviews rating and a convenient location next the Omotesando Metro Station, it was an easy decision to have lunch there.

Alain Ducasse Bistrot in Tokyo

Entering the restaurant on the 10th floor of a small building in Aoyama, Tokyo, we felt like we had left Japan and stepped into France. The decor is traditional and pleasant, no doubt aided by the natural light from the large windows.

According to the Benoit Tokyo website, “the materials for the interior décor including the solid oak Versailles parquet flooring, cement lattice in the antique motifs bistro tables of solid walnut were all procured from France.” Apparently the antique bottles, vintage steel boxes and glazed brownware pottery that decorate the place were chosen by Alain Ducasse himself at flea markets in France.

Benoit Tokyo Menu

Here are pictures of Benoit Tokyo restaurant lunch set menu. Starting from the price of ¥ 5,800 for a 3 course lunch and coffee, diners have the option of selecting different permutations of additional entrées and mains. We opted for the straight-forward three course lunch.

This is a picture of the Benoit drink menu.

Lunch at Benoit Tokyo in November 2023

Bread and Starters

The bread served at the start of the meal was nice and chewy. It was also very useful to have such good bread as they can accompany our starters of chicken liver terrine and escargot.

Chicken liver terrine was simple and did not have a strong liver flavour (which we like). We ate it as a spread on bread to balance out its flavour.

Escargot was the more flavourful starter. It attracted a ¥ 1,000 sucharge, but we thought it was worth it as the snails were large and juicy. Having them served in their shells also added to the presentation. They certainly looked more attractive than a de-shelled version we had in Singapore recently. As the snails were coated in a rich buttery gravy, they tasted even better when eaten with some bread.

Main Course and Dessert

Our choices of main courses were duck with orange, turnips and beetroots and poached lobster, barley, light bisque. The lobster required an additional payment of ¥2,000.

The duck (picture above) was good and well executed while the lobster (picture below) was wonderful. The crustacean was of a decent size and cooked to perfection. Some root vegetables and a complex bisque provided the accompaniment.

Desserts were not as exciting as the preceding dishes. Benoit chocolate delight with buckwheat ice cream (pic above) and rum baba provided the sweet end to our meal. According to Wikipedia, a bistro or bistrot is, in its original Parisian incarnation, a small restaurant, serving moderately priced simple meals in a modest setting. This French bistro in Tokyo certainly fits the bill. Classic dishes without unnecessary frills made this a quick enjoyable meal in autumn in Aoyama.

Ratings:
Food: 4
Service: 5
Value: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Overall Rating: 5 TOPs 

Benoit Tokyo
La Porte Aoyama 10F
5-51-8 Jingumae Shibuya-ku Tokyo

Tel +81-3-6419-4181

Opening Hours:
Lunch 11:30 – 15:30 (14:00 L.O.)
17:30 – 23:00 (21:00 L.O.)

Website

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The Ordinary Patrons | Real Dining Experience of Ordinary People
an independent Singapore food blog