Kitajima Tei @ Yotsuya ○ Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze Winner ○ ○ Selected as one of the Top 100 French Restaurants in Tokyo by Tabelog 2025 ○ ● Ordered Items 4-Dish Course ¥16,500 x 2 Cold Appetizer Charge + ¥550 Hot Appetizer Charge + ¥1,100 x 2 3-Glass Pairing Course ¥5,940 x 2 Service Charge (10%) ¥4,763 → Total ¥52,393 (for 2 people) ● Personal Rating: ★4.8 ● Introduction Founded in 1990, this classic French restaurant has been loved for many years. It has received prestigious accolades such as the Tabelog Bronze Award and being listed among the Top 100 French Restaurants. Owner Chef Motoyuki Kitajima, who has worked at renowned establishments in France like Troisgros and Georges Blanc, opened this restaurant in 1990. Now at 75 years old, he still visits the market every morning and continues to showcase his culinary skills in the kitchen during service hours. Located about a 5-minute walk from Yotsuya Station, it has a convenient location along San'ei Street. I made a phone reservation for the weekday 11:30 AM slot a few days prior. Reservations are only accepted by phone, and the cash-only policy reflects the classic style of the restaurant. The course duration is approximately 3 hours. The course is a prix fixe style, allowing you to choose between 3 or 4 dishes. On this day, the fish dish was fixed, while the cold appetizer, hot appetizer, and meat dish were chosen freely. Given the generous portions, I strongly recommend opting for the 3-dish course for those with an average appetite, as the 3 or 4 dishes refer only to the selectable items, excluding amuse-bouches and desserts. ● Taste Impressions ▪︎ Amuse-Bouche 1 Chilled cucumber soup. It eliminates the raw taste of cucumber, highlighting only its refreshing flavor combined with dairy, creating a summery taste. The mint on top adds to the freshness. Delicious. ▪︎ Amuse-Bouche 2 Puff pastry with a crispy texture topped with salted fish and tomatoes, seasoned simply to enhance the saltiness and umami of the seafood. The summer vegetables garnished on the plate also evoke the season. Delicious. ▪︎ Cold Appetizer From six options, I chose the restaurant's specialty: sea urchin in consomme jelly. The consomme jelly itself is incredibly delicious. While the saltiness is subtle, it encapsulates the umami of vegetables and meat, making me wish it were sold in a can for about ¥2,000. The jelly alone is exquisite, but when paired with generous amounts of fresh sea urchin, it becomes a true delicacy. There’s no fishy taste, just pure sweetness, creating a delightful experience. The addition of junsai and cauliflower mousse adds color. My companion chose the tartare of black-haired Wagyu beef. This dish also has a volume that could easily be mistaken for a main course, with unique seasoning using Tabasco and mustard. ▪︎ Bread Whole grain round bread. Moist and soft, it offers a deep flavor of wheat. The accompanying butter is also exceptional, delicious enough to eat on its own, but I restrained myself to save room for the subsequent courses. The quality of service was excellent, and I was offered a refill, so I ended up having two pieces. ▪︎ Hot Appetizer From three options, I chose the pan-seared foie gras. The hot appetizer and meat dish must be the same as those chosen by my companion. The Hungarian foie gras was impressively large, sitting atop a corn galette. The foie gras is delicious on its own, but pairing it with the corn galette balances the richness, making it incredibly enjoyable. The sauce made with shallots and sherry vinegar is refreshing, and the reasoning behind this combination becomes clear upon tasting. Absolutely delicious. ▪︎ Fish Dish This was a fixed menu item. The flounder from Choshi, Chiba, was sautéed with finely sliced potatoes. The flounder is moist and tender, while the crispy potatoes enhance the texture. The sauce is a fish stock-based soup de poisson, rich in umami that seeps into your body. Incredibly delicious. ▪︎ Meat Dish From three options, I chose the steak of black-haired Wagyu top sirloin. With a generous portion of 150-200g, the meat is perfectly marbled, and the juicy cooking technique is top-notch. Incredibly delicious. Not only the main dish but also the accompanying chicken liver mousse and various vegetables were exceptional. The presentation of the vegetables may not align with current trends, but the cooking technique highlights the quality of the ingredients beautifully. The sauce is simply made with shallots and butter, emphasizing the ingredients throughout. ▪︎ Palate Cleanser A lime sorbet was served as a palate cleanser before dessert. The size of the cocotte was surprisingly large, which made me laugh, and the presentation was somewhat haphazard, adding to the humor. Upon tasting, the refreshing aroma of lime and a herb-like fragrance were delightful, leaving me impressed. The contrast between the initial roughness and the exquisite flavor made me unable to stop laughing. ▪︎ Today's Dessert This was also a selectable item, and I chose the crème brûlée from six options. The cocotte was comically large, which made me burst into laughter. When I cracked the crispy caramelization, I found a custard filled with plenty of vanilla beans. The richness of the eggs and the perfect sweetness left a lasting impression, and despite being quite full at this point, it went down smoothly. My companion chose the chocolate mousse. It had a bold appearance, as if it was scooped generously with a cookie inserted! The flavor was rich, allowing for the enjoyment of cocoa bitterness and the creaminess of fresh cream. This was also incredibly delicious. ▪︎ Mignardises Since it was my birthday celebration, a birthday plate was presented with six types of baked goods. Many guests take some home. They were so delicious that I tried to take two home, but the coffee served as a post-meal drink was exceptional, and they kept bringing refills, so I ended up finishing everything on the spot. I had an amazing time, indulging in too much food and drink, while also enjoying a lovely afternoon nap. ● Overall Impression Simply put, this is a wonderful full course where you can enjoy delicious food to your heart's content. It’s a shame that the photos don’t do it justice, but each dish has a generous portion, allowing you to fully appreciate the chef's skills. While it may lack extravagant decorations or beautiful presentations, it perfectly fulfills the essential elements of taste and quantity, leaving nothing to be desired. This is exactly what I appreciate in dining. The staff generously offered refills for bread and coffee, and they adapted the pairing service by providing half portions for two glasses, showcasing impressive and efficient service. Chef Kitajima occasionally comes out to the dining area during the course to interact with guests, and his friendly demeanor left a great impression. His casual appearance, sometimes without an apron, may divide opinions, but it certainly contributes to the restaurant's atmosphere. To enjoy such a high-quality full course with generous portions and pairings for around ¥25,000 is quite a bargain. The atmosphere is not heavy, making it a place I would recommend even to French cuisine beginners, although the portion sizes may not be suitable for novices. I strongly recommend first-timers to opt for the 3-dish course unless they have special training like I do.