NOURA

There’s a little bit of humorous wordplay across three languages when it comes to NOURA’s name. The companion shop of famed French restaurant HOMMAGE (meaning “gratitude” in French), Noura is located just behind its older sister — hence the name “Hommage no ura”, or “behind Hommage” in Japanese. Ironic, then, that Noura is the restaurant paying “hommage” to its older sibling. But the duo of chefs behind Noura’s cuisine put the jokes aside when it comes to their food. The list of restaurants that Chef Yoshio Matsumoto has trained at — which includes French culinary meccas Maison Decoret and Le Clos des Cimes — has so many Michelin Stars it could be confused for a galaxy, while the Asakusa native Chef Noboru Arai’s two Michelin stars speak for themselves. Compared to Hommage, Noura may provide a more relaxed, casual approach to French cuisine in both the atmosphere and the cuisine, but the dining experience should in no way be belittled when compared to its more upscale sibling. As if to reinforce this, Noura has matched Hommage’s twin Michelin stars with the coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand. Michelin Guide: 2023 - Bib Gourmand