La Pleine Lune

Starting out in 2006 as a small, 10-seater restaurant at the intersection of Ayanokoji and Karasuma Streets — the heart of urban Kyoto — La Pleine Lune spent a decade slowly making its name as one of the most beloved French restaurants in Kyoto’s gourmet scene. But on its 10th anniversary, like the full moon from which it takes its name, it expanded into new premises in the Karasuma Nijo area. The restaurant now accommodates 16 at a longer counter and several tables. Art from local artists hangs off the walls, while plenty of natural light streams in through floor-to-ceiling windows during lunch services. At dinner, the lights are turned low and the mood romantic. La Pleine Lune offers several menus to choose from at each service, each one featuring authentic, Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded French cuisine. Chef Naoaki Nishii uses seasonal Japanese ingredients to create traditional French dishes — but notably, holds back on the butter and cream for a lighter taste more suitable for the Japanese palate. To go with their meal, guests are invited to choose a glass from the restaurant’s selection of Burgundy wines, which make up 90 percent of the restaurant’s cellar. Chef Nishii believes in supporting the many independent, small-scale vineyards that dot the mountainous region. Each one has its own cultivation and production method, and hence its own way of expressing the region’s terroir, he says.