L’Osier, Tokyo, Jan 2026 *

So after lurking (and eating!) this sub for many years I finally decided to perhaps make a post. This lunch was planned on the basis of continuing the high after a wild weekend in Toyohashi for an annual personal matter. Just about all of it was perfect. There are 9999 L'Effervescence posts here and my previous to such was January 2025. If that was intellectual, then this is indulgent, the devil to the angel.

I will freely admit the ¥55k truffle menu was not my first choice as I wanted the Belles Gourmands, but my dining companion insisted after a waiter left a rather large truffle at the table as bait. We also went with a glass of 2008 Delamotte and the mid tier (¥30k) pairing which included a white Beaucastel CdP, Brane-Cantenac Bordeaux and Clos Vougeot Musigni, and a spoon of Eszencia. With any good pairing, there was a harmony rather than the drink or food dominating, and while I won't get into detailed notes, they all worked. There were also some absolutely crazy wines by the glass but my wallet can only withstand so many assaults after the weekend. Maybe next time. Explanations were given in japanese since my companion and I were yapping in japanese to them, so some may have flown over my head due to my actually limited japanese ability and I didn't have the heart to request english (even if it's a 3 star, I felt guilty). I will go by my observations to supplement the descriptions.

To begin, a tuille of pumpkin with a citrus hint (I swear that leaf mould is everywhere), a bite of beetroot, parsnip-like thing and chorizo, and a truffle and cheese sable. There's not much to say other than they were very petite and impressive in how much they could jam in such a small thing.
Next we were offered choices of bread including a fresh baked sourdough, butter bread, baguette, olive bread, etc. It was fine. It's bread and I prefer big baguettes in slices. But the olive oil was as good as the wanky text on its coaster.

The first course was baked Nagasaki egg with truffle, sauce violine and mushroom etc with a biscuit of jamon and truffle. I skipped breakfast and as my "breakfast" this perversion of eggs and toast was transcendentally good. The sauce with its savoury ring of sauce and truffle friendly contents. Sweet, salty, umami, delicious, 11/10.

Next was crab two ways with items such as straight crab, a truffle dome of crab in crab(?) sauce, nanohana puree and dabs of a citrusy gel and crab jelly. The truffle chopped to look like nori was a cute touch. If there was a low dish, this was it. The crab tasted clean, worked with the truffle and was generally pleasant, but it didn't really move me the way the egg did. The plate design was also just weird and arguably uncharacteristic of such a place. I get they wanted to break the monotony of white plates but this was ugly. The curious CdP had notes of nashi, pear, golden apples and caramel.

The final savoury course was beef with vegetable medley cooked in butter. Beef and vegetables done perfectly and made better with truffle. They left the saucepan of sauce perigueux which was much appreciated (though rushing over to apply it when I reached for it!). The double pairing worked such that the burgundy responded to the truffle, while the bordeaux did the beef.

Before dessert was cheeses. I forgot which was which but perhaps the images help. One was from hokkaido. They served the spoon of Eszencia from here which I slowly sipped to the very end (liquid sunshine). Cheese is cheese.

What's iinteresting is that effectively half the courses are dessert. I love dessert so this is fine. First is a medley of tropical fruit with coconut ice cream and guava sorbet. Normally I'd reach for the Sauternes here but the Eszencia's power shone through. I'm not sure what the truffle really does here outside of working with the coconut component, and the dish is great without it.

Petit fours of coconut and white chocolat, pistache, meringue with peach and apple, and tonka bean and kumquat(?). These are tiny but I really appreciate what a pastry chef can do.

The second dessert is coffee with more truffle, amaretto jelly, mascarpone sorbet and foams. This responded better to the truffle than the fruit dish. Not much else to say. It's a nice dessert.
Finally, the sweets trolley. Top 3 best caneles I've had. The other 2 were Tetsuya's (rip) and my boyfriend's.

I've been wanting to dine here for a long time and I'm glad I finally got there. It feels like the classical image of fine dining and I left full and satisfied. The usage of truffle was just right besides with the fruit. What has me curious is how they manage their mise en place. The booking gave the option to select a course or go seat only, which I went for. They let us choose a course at the table and somehow the dishes were all delivered in a timely manner. The chef Olivier Chaignon also paid every table a visit and the staff were absolutely charming. I must however come back more prepared for wine such as the La Tâche by the glass…