A Solo French Feast Begins.Today, I visited L’Éterre, a Michelin one-star restaurant located in Iidabashi (Ushigome Kagurazaka).The name is a combination of l’éternité (eternity) and la terre (earth), which makes sense, as La terre éternelle would be too long and awkward.The interior is unified in white and gray (ivory), with a counter that can accommodate eight seats if packed tightly. Behind it, there’s a chef's table that can fit four more. Therefore, the total capacity is roughly around ten guests.Watching the cooking process right in front of me was impressive, with the chef adding sauce to the prepared plates, enhancing the live experience.I started my meal at 5:30 PM, all by myself. I enjoyed delightful conversations with Chef Tagako, the female sous-chef, and the sommelier. Since I had the place to myself, the close proximity to the staff was a nice touch. However, they mentioned that once the restaurant is full, it might be difficult to chat leisurely. Given the small kitchen, it’s understandable that the sous-chef and I were the only ones in there.However, it seems that this isn’t always the case; sometimes, the 5:30 PM slot is fully booked while the 8:30 PM slot is nearly empty. I felt incredibly lucky to have such a relaxed experience on my first visit.Here’s what I had, with wine pairings:○ Tomato, Ananas A Caprese-style sorbet made with burrata, tomato consomme, and basil oil.The sweetness of the pineapple combined with the acidity of the concentrated tomato consomme melds beautifully with the burrata, while the aroma of basil gently envelops the dish. I sensed a sparkling creativity here—what a promising start!○ Crabe A tartlet featuring steamed and shredded hairy crab, myoga (Japanese ginger) cooked in kombu oil, and pickled ginger in red wine vinegar.Though it’s called a tartlet, the base is made from an extremely thin pâte brisée rather than the usual crunchy tart shell. The contrast between the crispy texture of the pastry and the moist hairy crab, enhanced by mimolette and black pepper, is exquisite.○ Hanadai A beignet of sea bream, mimolette, and Madagascar black pepper. Served in an open paper wrap like a hamburger, you take a bite holding the paper.The batter is fluffy and crispy, and the flavor of the sea bream is outstanding, perfectly cooked—absolutely delicious! It’s sourced from the Maeda Fish Shop in Yaizu.○ Bonite Oh no, I missed taking a photo…This is a type of "mochi katsuo" (firm bonito), with the skin lightly seared and served on top of pickled lotus root and diced Kōsui pear.Since it’s not yet the season for rich fat, the olive oil carpaccio style and the pickled lotus root, which I had never tried before, worked wonders together. I learned that making it as a light pickle is the way to go, and I definitely want to try making it myself.○ Joues de bœuf, Fois gras Served with red wine risotto, boiled foie gras, pleurotus mushrooms, and a mushroom broth mousse, which I enjoyed with a spoon. It’s like a gourmet beef bowl? This is an unfairly delicious beef bowl!○ Mérou Served with beurre blanc sauce and a paste of grilled zucchini.The texture is chewy, packed with umami, and it’s a refreshing surprise compared to the usual hot pot style.○ Côte de veau Before the meal, the sous-chef presented a special knife set and let me choose one.The Brittany veal is pan-fried in garlic burnt butter, served with pipérade and lardo, and garnished with Manjyu chili peppers.By this point, I was quite full, so a heavy sauce would have been tough to handle. The summer vegetable pipérade had a relatively light texture, making it easy to enjoy.○ Pâtes You can choose the amount of pasta. Many would be quite full by this point, but I opted for a regular portion. The tomato sauce includes tripe, and instead of being overly soft, it retains a nice bite.○ Soebet au lait Jergey, Chocolat blanc A rich sorbet made from Jersey milk.○ Raisins Shiso rouge The meringue circle is entirely edible. The flavor of the grapes is wonderful, and the refreshing aroma of shiso revitalizes the palate.○ Carré qu fromage Ah, it’s Comté! I’ve only won the lottery for the chance to buy the Gâteau au Comté from Quintessence once, which is semi-hard, but this one is fresh and lively. It’s definitely Comté!○ Financier, Truffe chocolat I was so full that I took the freshly baked financier home as a souvenir (and it’s now a delightful snack while I write this). The chocolate truffle surprised me when I tasted it. You must experience this!So, I thoroughly enjoyed my solo dining experience in a private setting!Overall, the restaurant is grounded in classical French cuisine, designed with wine pairings in mind from the start. They also offer a variety of non-alcoholic drinks, making it enjoyable even for those who don’t drink, but having wine doubles the fun. The flavors are rich, yet balanced.The chef, sous-chef, and sommelier are all friendly, and their efficient movements are enjoyable to watch. Instead of scrolling on my phone, I was captivated by the delightful scenes unfolding before me.The portion sizes are quite generous, so make sure to arrive with a good appetite. Of course, you can discuss portion sizes. It seems you can also adjust the wine pairings if needed (I actually asked for more!), which is a flexibility unique to a restaurant of this scale.I highly recommend this place to fellow solo dining enthusiasts!