L'Octave Hayato KOBAYASHI

The showman chef at this French restaurant in Tokyo — located halfway between Shinjuku and Omotesando — once dreamed of being a musician, which explains both the name of the restaurant and the incredibly performative atmosphere inside. His gestures and presentation give the whole experience a sense of great animation and energy — some plates even have a few words and French script written in delicate edible calligraphy. These little flourishes sit on the plate aside delicious dishes such as sea bream fritter, salmon tartare with smoked cream, onion gratin, sautéed Hokkaido scallops, and beef roti. The lunch and dinner sets here are very reasonable given the skill of the chef — who has experience at several Michelin restaurants in France — and the number of dishes presented.