Fine Dining in Tokyo: LA TABLE de Joël Robuchon (2 Michelin stars)

It was my birthday a few weeks back. I’ll not let on how old I was 😃, but I did want to share a few photos from the amazing dinner that Mrs. IKIMASHO surprised me with. Last year, we dined out at Quintessence (3 Michelin stars). This year, I was treated to dinner at LA TABLE de Joël Robuchon, which has two stars of its own. We both thought this years’s meal at Joël Robuchon was superior, largely due to the quality of the cooking and the intention of making each ingredient taste the best it possibly could. Some may wonder is Michelin-starred food actually worth it? In this case, yes. Definitely. I would eat out here again in an instant.

LA TABLE de Joël Robuchon is one of two restaurants that Robuchon created in a huge chateau-like building in the Ebisu district of Tokyo. The building is somewhat of a landmark, and Mrs. IKIMASHO actually worked in the tower beside it for nearly five years. It was, however, our first time stepping inside the building itself, where we were led to our table on a Saturday night by smiling staff dressed in black.

Each course featured a host of my favourite ingredients, the menu seemingly designed for my palette. Portion sizes were actually a little on the large size, with the scallop course surprisingly arriving with two large scallops on each plate. The delicacy of the dish wasn’t compromised, but I did find myself wondering how full I would be towards the end of the meal. Suffice to say, we both left full – showing that food cooked at this level does not need to presented in microscopic portions.

A lot of the courses were decorated with gold leaf, and each dish looked incredibly pretty. Here are some photos from a wonderful birthday dinner.