French cuisine is always accompanied by wine, and at Bistro n/n, an authentic French restaurant, "Assemblage Club Tarou" is on the list along with a wide selection of French wines. We spoke with owner-chef Naoki Nozaki about why he came up with the idea of pairing French cuisine with sake, as well as the reputation of the restaurant among its customers.
Authentic French cuisine by a talented chef
Located about 6 minutes south of Shijo Yanagibaba Street, this bistro restaurant is housed in a renovated 100-year-old machiya (traditional Kyoto townhouse). Upon opening the door, you will be greeted by the warmth of wooden counter seats and table seats with a view of the garden, and the turquoise blue of the walls creates a relaxing atmosphere. Chef Nozaki, who has been working as a French chef since the 1980s, welcomes you to his restaurant. He opened his own restaurant in the Kitaoji area, and after establishing a pioneering casual French restaurant in Kyoto, he opened this restaurant in 2022.
Although the restaurant is called a bistro, it serves authentic French courses (reservations required). One of the charms of this restaurant is that you can watch the chef's hands over the counter with a live atmosphere. Along with the meals, you can taste natural French wines and assemblage Club Tarou.
Beautiful French cuisine with a Japanese flair
This course is an eclectic style that successfully combines Japanese and French ingredients. Kyoto vegetables and other seasonal ingredients are used to create a Kyoto-conscious presentation. This is fully demonstrated in the hors d'oeuvre that appears at the beginning of the course. The hors d'oeuvres are Japanese in appearance, but the food is carefully prepared in a classic French style. Petit course from 6,600 yen.
Since there are many female customers, the restaurant is designed in the style of a "munis degustation," a French tasting course in which a variety of dishes are served in small portions. The plates are presented in a stylish manner, and the customers are said to exclaim with admiration, "Wow! and "Wow! The chef's love for his customers is evident in his desire for them to enjoy the beauty of the appearance, aroma, and original flavor of the ingredients with both their eyes and palate.
Hors d'oeuvre platter
On the right is cauliflower mousse with consommé jus. In the back is a salad of homemade ham with natural salt made by the flat pot method using seawater from Yuhigaura in Kyotango City. On the left is a luxurious dish of foie gras and truffle crème brûlée.
Assorted hors d'oeuvres
On the right is seasonal carpaccio, this day scallops and mustard. In the back is escargot and mushrooms with butter, chopped garlic and parsley, Burgundian style. On the left hand side is olive-roasted bluefin squid and matsutake mushrooms served on a bed of red-tinted leaves.
The full course 9,900 yen and premium course 13,200 yen offer two hors d'oeuvre platters.
Sake that I was convinced "can be tasted like white wine
Assemblage Club 01 CODENAME : Taro Glass 1,100 yen
Ltd. Kitagawa Honke Kitagawa Honke (Kyoto) Sales / Reef Publications, Inc. 15% alcohol by volume, milled rice percentage not disclosed
This is an innovative sake developed jointly by three Kyoto sake breweries (Tokubei Masuda Shoten, Kitagawa Honke, and Matsui Shuzo) by applying the traditional wine-making technique of "assemblage" to Japanese sake.
Foreign customers tell me that they have come all the way to Japan and want to drink Japanese sake instead of wine. When I tried Taro, I had a gut feeling that it would be a good choice. I was convinced that it would taste just like white wine because of its smoothness. I think it goes especially well with hors d'oeuvres that use a lot of seasonal ingredients. Our customers seem to enjoy drinking it," says Chef Nozaki.
Main axis is not shaken, but flexible thinking outside of the box is also possible.
Chef Nozaki has worked hard to make French cuisine accessible and casual. The basis of his cuisine has been the royal road of French cuisine that makes full use of reliable techniques. In recent years, the traditional rules of French cuisine have been gradually fading away. While keeping up with the needs of the times, the main axis of the restaurant remains unchanged, and it also incorporates flexible ideas that are not bound by the framework. Chef Nozaki says he would like to add bright colors reminiscent of European cityscapes and Japanese essence. He will continue to make his sincere approach to French cuisine, satisfying the stomachs of not only Japanese but also foreign guests and bringing smiles to the faces of those who visit his restaurant.
