French Fare With A Flair...

Amuse bouche, Carrot mousse gelee with sea urchin, Crepe with goat cheese & summer vegetables

The beef might look like a mishmash of sorts but the taste is divine; trio of so-so desserts

Catching a glimpse from the outside, we were pleased to note that Chemins is one restaurant which still believes in good old-fashioned starched white table cloths and sparkly wine glasses atop. Barely a four minute stroll from our apartment, we decided to give it a try and even in the sweltering noon humidity, scarcely walked up a sweat en route to the restaurant:) Chemins's intimate dining hall with its teak flooring and expansive windows let in the warm golden rays, drenching it in a natural light which made the place seemed much loftier than its compact size.

The lunch menu, served with a contemporary French flair started off with a fuss-free amuse bouche which tasted like a savoury piece of Christmas fruit cake. My other half, after perusing the raves from his trusty Michelin guide, went for Chemin's signature dish of carrot mousse gelee with sea urchin. The sweetness of the mousse was an excellent fuse with the strong tasting sea urchin, affording a more rounded overall taste to this forerunner. As for me, crepes was the order of the day as I dug into my goat cheese and verdant summer vegetables filling with gusto. The climax of our lunch though was the main course. The beef so tender and succulent was proof enough that one does not have to blow an obscene amount of dough on premium Wagyu if the chef's cooking techniques are sound. Hmmm, this dish just reinforced my resolution of never ever becoming a vegetarian, bar none.

Quite frankly, given the euphoric state which we were in after the main (er, the wine helped, I guess...), it was gonna be an uphill task for what was coming next to follow suit. And indeed, dessert was bordering on mediocrity. To be fair though, the scales are tilted slightly in favour of the positive end of mediocrity (er, is that possible???).

Regardless, Chemins certainly set our taste buds a-tingling with its sophisticated French offerings and is certainly one high flier in synchrony with its French flag hoisted high above its doorway.

Chemins
Address: 2-17-7 Akasaka, Akasaka Tower Annex, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan Telephone: 03-3568-3344
Michelin: *