Coucagno French Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan
Michelin Star Tokyo Restaurant with Amazing City Views
The French restaurant in Tokyo, Japan called Coucagno can be found on the 40th floor of the Cerulean Tower in Shibuya, Tokyo(26-1 Sakuragaoka-Cho, Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo, 150-8512 TEL:
+81-3-3476-3000). They are open from 7:00 am to 9:30 am (last order), 11:30 am to 2:00 pm (last order) and 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm (last order). Reservations are recommended and dressy attire is expected (jackets are required for gentlemen for dinner).The food, service, ambience, and excellent city views make it well deserving of its Michelin status.
The Ambience
The décor here is minimalist, modern, and chic. The brown and white theme works well in candlelight, and the large windows and well-planned table arrangement make the most of the gorgeous views. On clear nights, you can see all the way to Yokohama. Some tables feature high-backed leather seats, which add to the sumptuousness of the place. And everything from the high quality silver and dishware, fresh flowers, and glimmering glassware reek of class.
The Service
Attentive but unobtrusive, the service at Coucagno is quite polished. There were at least two waiters per table, and a sommelier and maitre d’ were on hand to meet your needs. Glasses were constantly filled, chairs pulled out, and bread refills consistently offered. Everyone there also seemed to speak English. Despite the no tipping policy in Japan, you may feel obliged to leave something as the quality of service certainly rivals countries where tipping is expected.
The Food
Where Coucagno really shines is with the food. The menu is modern French Provencal, but there is definitely a Japanese sensibility present in the menu (in the range of seafood options, for example). While not quite up to the fine dining standards of some, the food here gives a lot of supposed fine dining establishments a run for their money.
Everything in my meal was cooked, seasoned and presented to perfection. The delicate, creamy foie gras with fig was the perfect sweet, creamy, savory delight, and the veal with truffles was perfectly cooked, smoky, and mouth-watering. The standout for me, however, was my lobster mousse starter with peach sauce. It was delectable and fresh, and the depths of flavors left me speechless.
The desserts and bread selections were also superb, as was the extensive wine list with many reasonably-priced bottles, as well as several by-the-glass options.
The Price
Prices are a bit steep (mains range from about $35-$75), but well worth it for a restaurant of this caliber. Excellent value is the set meal for about $100 which includes amuse bouche, starter, seafood option, meat option, dessert, and coffee. It’s a real steal for those who wish to sample the menu without breaking the bank.
The restaurant can be found a few minutes from the South Exit of Shibuya station.
