Aoike

Aoike Restaurant is just a mere five minutes’ walk from Marutamachi Station. There’s a perfect balance of French and Japanese influence — the cuisine is French while the atmosphere is full Japanese. The intriguing factor is the counter on the first floor that is advocated by the chef-owner, Aoike Hiroyuki, as the Kappo French. Chef Aoike has trained at multiple French restaurants prior to his opening of his own restaurant. Seasonal ingredients are woven into the cuisine, but what’s emphasized are the Kyoto-sourced ingredients like vegetables and fish. These are then prepared with French culinary techniques to create French dishes, making the flavors more to the taste of locals. Expect a perfect fusion of the two cuisines, like the vegetable “presse” with dashi that’s been gelatinized, and a soup dish that’s made with clam and shrimp dashi.