Bistro a Vin La Patate is...

... my second home. Trust me you want to go there.

I’ve been asked why I haven’t written any review of this

Bistro a Vin La Patate’s strength lies in the hands of the wonderful Chef Sejima. He runs this friendly and warm little bistro together with his lovely wife. At different times, both the Chef and his wife lived in France, about 6 years each. But then they met in Tokyo working at the same restaurant, this restaurant (formerly known as A.O.C. Yoyogi).


They got married and bought off A.O.C. Yoyogi and began La Patate.

Rustic, warm, very very French. Even Chef Sejima and the wife speaks French to each other. Their English is also pretty good. So, when you have any culinary related problems, you can ask them and they will answer.

So, putting the personality aside, we need to talk about the food. As a Muslim, I have food restrictions and it’s notably hard in Japan to find places that do not use pork products in their cooking, especially for Western cuisines. Every time I venture a new restaurant, I have to be very specific about what I want, sounding like a freaky hypochondriac, I had to go through the painful process of explaining how I cannot have any of those products mixed in any way or cooked together in the same big fryer. Some restaurants could be snobbish and just put me off to a bowlful of salad, and some can be accommodative. Chef Sejima is the latter.
After a few visits to this restaurant, Chef Sejima has come up with what he calls “Bun-chan’s menu”. Bun-chan is his nickname for me. And by Bun-chan’s menu, he meant something that he makes up when I show up at the restaurant during his pork-week. This is precisely why I go every week. I am curious what animal or how many kinds of veggies he’d like to test on me before putting it up on his restaurant menu. Upon seeing my face at the door he’ll usually say, “Irasshai!!! Yoshi! Buntari ga kitta, Bun-chan menu tesuto da!” (Welcome! Alright now that you’re here, we can try another Bun-chan menu!”

Here are my favorites:
Duck terrine
Beef cooked in red wine
Lamb cooked in red wine
Grilled fish
Carrot pottage soup
Roast duck
Roast chicken
Roast lamb
Pan seared scallop
Seafood quiche

Last but not least: the bread. Do not forget to eat the little round bread that Chef Sejima makes with love. It’s so fresh, it’s so chewy, it’s simply wonderful.

Restaurant Information

Bistro a Vin La Patate
Metro Building 1st Floor
1-43-2 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo

Tel: 03-5333-5150



Open hours:
Mon - Sat: 11:30～15:00　(L.O.14:00) and 18:00～24:00 (L.O. 21:00)
Sun, Hols:　11:30～17:00

The place is cozy small, seats 50 maximum. For small parties (up to 4 people), walk in on the day is fine.

Rating
food quality *****
food taste *****
service ****
value to money ****
coziness, comfort *****

Course menu is 3,700 yen for foods only. With drinks, depending on your alcohol intake the bill usually range around 5,000 ~ 7,000 yen pax.

Entertaining in Tokyo

After what seems like 3 weeks of eating out everyday, I have successfully come-up with a list of Japanese restaurants that is worth taking your clients out to during their short business trip in Tokyo. Area of concentration is Roppongi, Nishi-Azabu, Yoyogi, Yoyogi-Uehara and Shinjuku.

1. Gonpachi
Japanese foods in one box. It's like the easiest stop you can make. And you'll get a selection of sushi (at their 3rd floor branch) and you get an eclectic colletion of kushiyaki foods and hand-made soba specialty.

Web. Phone 03-5771-0170. Usually about 4,000 yen per head at the end of the evening. Reservation highly recommended for dinner.

2. Shunju
One of my favorite restaurants in Tokyo. Nouveau Japanese dish, and they have the very fresh tofu that they make at the table. Located on the 27th floor of Sanno Park Tower, the view of Tokyo is breathtaking.

Web. Phone 03-3592-5288. Prepare to pay 8,000 yen and up for a fine dining experience (trust me, it's worth it). Reservation highly recommended, and always try to get seats by the glass wall.

3. Ikuta
Kobe beef specialist. Usually the price is dire if you want to dine on this special Kobe beef, but Ikuta is much more reasonable than most. Located in Yoyogi, very close to Shinjuku. Atmosphere is not pretentious at all.

Web. Phone 03-5340-7240. Course menu starts from 6,980 yen. Capacity is not very large, reservation is recommended.

4. Seryna Honten
Great Shabu-shabu restaurant in Roppongi. Full review see here.

Web. Phone 03-3402-1051.Reservation required. Course starts from 8,000 yen.

5. Mon Cher Ton Ton
Another Kobe beef restaurant. Served in teppanyaki style. Mon Cher Ton Ton is located on 52nd Floor of Sumitomo Building in Shinjuku. The view is absolutely stunning, while the food is out of this world-ly delicious. Very expensive. My client picked up the tab, so it was OK.

Web. Phone 03-3344-6761. Reservation required.Kobe Beef course menu is 20,000 yen per head.

6. Tobu Sakana
Complete opposite to the other's hefty price, try to go to Tobu Sakana in Tokyo's hip pocket Shimo-Kitazawa. The freshest fish restaurant I've ever been to in Japan. Full review is here.

Web. Phone 03-3414-6611. 3,000-4,000 yen per head.Place is small, reservation is recommended. Cash only.

7. Sasagin
One of my favorite place in Yoyogi Uehara. The restaurant has hundreds of bottles of sake collection. Menu is in difficult Japanese only, so all you need to do is tell the master to do what he wants and deliver the sake that goes well with the food. All you need to do is say how hungry you are, and what food you're allergic to or hates. You'll be very pleasantly surprised.

Formal review. Phone 03-5454-3715.Moderate, 4,000 yen~ per head. Cash only.

8. New York Bar and Grill
Not exactly Japanese, but this is something that every single of my clients all wants to go. You know, to get their fix on "Lost in Translation" experience.

Web. Phone 03-5323-3458. Only the Grill takes reservation. Just show yourself up. Once live music start, cover charge is 2,000 yen per head. Drinks starts from 1,000 yen.

9. Shabuzen
Good shabu-shabu restaurant in Roppongi. Much more affordable than Seryna. Better option for a party of 5 and above.

Web. Phone 03-3585-5600. Reservation sometimes necessary if it's Friday or Saturday night. 7,000 yen~ per head.

10. Kougetsu
Somewhere in between Shabuzen and Seryna's price range, there lies Kougetsu. My favorite amongst the 3. Specify to the restaurant if you don't eat pork.

Web. Phone 03-5771-0141

11. Shousuke
Excellent yakitori chain. Try to go to the one in Shinjuku San-chome's T&T building 7th floor, great view of Shinjuku Gyoen Park.

http://r.gnavi.co.jp/fl/en/g264513/index.htm.Phone 03-3356-1818.Average budget 5,000 yen per head. Reservation not necessary but recommended for big party.

And the quest continues!

Restaurant Review: Tobu Sakana

The locale is in Shimokitazawa, roughly 10 minutes on Odakyu line from Shinjuku, or even less from Shibuya.
Recommended to go here by a friend who used to live in the locale. One of the freshest seafood restaurant I've ever been to, with a very good price.
If in season, don't forget to order yaki-sora-mame (this is grilled giant edamame beans, very very tasty).
Things that should never be passed on while there: the suwai-gani (big crabs), grilled prawns, any grilled fish on a bed of salt. To reserve a table means you also reserve a plate of assorted sashimi.
For drinks, they have a large selection of sake and shochu. The fresh grapefruits sour (half of a grapefruit mixed with shochu) is really nice, they quickly sell out on this, though. Also try their "umeguro" beverage. It is a mix between umesshu and guinness. Kind of on the sweet side, but refreshing nonetheless.

Just to give an idea, first time I was there with Deenster, we ordered grilled fish, edamame, yakisoramame, prawns, a plate of sashimi (yes we were very hungry), and 3 drinks each; the bill came down to about 8,500 JPY. Not bad, eh?

Restaurant Information
Tobu Sakana
2-15-5 Kitazawa,
Setagaya-ku,
Tokyo

Tel: 03-3414-6611
Closed on Tuesdays
Open 5:30 pm to midnight
The place is cozy small, reservation is highly recommended

Rating
food quality *****
food taste *****
service ****
value to money ****