La Trace

Teleport to France with the authenticity of this humble, cozy French restaurant just three minutes from Nara Station on foot. Other than delivering the highest grade of food, La Trace's owners prioritize hospitality — whether it is warm service given to the customers or going out of the way to visit producers to personally introduce themselves. This kindness is prominent in the course menus for both lunch and dinner, as origins of the ingredients in each dish are explained carefully to give credit to the suppliers and producers. For example, the yogurt is made in Takamatsu and the chicken is Yamato chicken. Simplicity is also a key point of La Trace. The chef's culinary ethos is not to over-prepare or overseason any ingredient in a way that will interfere with its natural essence. The Bakuku pork is sauteed, placed in the oven and rested — these steps are repeated multiple times until all the fat has burned off. Techniques like this maximize the original flavors of the ingredients, and make their meats incredibly juicy and tender. From the seats in La Trace, guests will be able to peek behind the scenes into the kitchen. Transparency and performance are the reasons behind the open-kitchen concept, as the staff are proud of the work they're putting in and they want you to share in the glory of the preparation with all its sights, sounds and smells.