L'Osier

Review Highlights

L'Osier is a three-Michelin-star French restaurant in Tokyo's upscale Ginza district, opened in 1973 by Shiseido Parlour — the food and beverage division of cosmetics giant Shiseido. Alexander The Guest visits for the six-course lunch menu (€200 per person) and turns the episode into a wine-focused experience, exploring the restaurant's exceptional by-the-glass program that includes rare Domaine de la Romanée-Conti selections. Head chef Olivier Chaignon, formerly of Taillevent and Pierre Gagnaire in Paris, has been at the helm since 2013 and earned the restaurant's third Michelin star in 2019.

• ·Corn Trio — a cold velouté soup, ice cream, and freshly grilled popcorn celebrating the humble corn; Alexander found it 'playful' with 'perfect amounts of creaminess and freshness,' an exciting and memorable first course.
• ·Blue Lobster — with stewed chanterelles, stuffed zucchini flowers, and a fresh tomato and basil sauce; the flavors were 'concentrated and super dynamic but also nicely balanced,' making Alexander feel like he could have been dining in France.
• ·Roasted Deer Fillet — served with thigh prepared like blood sausage, blackberry chutney, beetroot leaf, carrot rosette with black truffle, bay verbena mousseline, and wild pepper sauce; 'words cannot do this dish justice.'
• ·Cheese Selection — a sweeping selection of French imports, available as a €40 supplement; not a standard part of the menu but worth the splurge.
• ·Apricot and Lavender Dessert — a light seasonal dessert balancing bright fruit with subtle floral notes.
• ·All-Peach Dessert — 'from the foam to the ice cream,' a multi-texture study of the fruit.
• ·Sweets Trolley — an array of petits fours, accompanied by a surprise complimentary glass of 30-year-old Château d'Yquem from the sommelier.

Alexander calls L'Osier 'an amazing French restaurant outside of France, with best-in-class quality ingredients' and credits head chef Olivier Chaignon as a 'culinary artist in the kitchen.' He praises the elegant service team and singles out sommelier Ryoga Nakamura, who 'hit a grand slam' with a wine tasting spanning Champagne, white Burgundy, and two Domaine de la Romanée-Conti selections by the glass — something Alexander had never seen before. The total for two came to just over €1,400. His final note ties back to the Shiseido origin story: founder Arinobu Fukuhara discovered ice cream soda in 1900 New York, sparking a chain of events that led to one of Tokyo's finest French restaurants.

About

L'Osier is a three-Michelin-star French restaurant housed in the Shiseido building in Tokyo's Ginza district, blending classic French culinary technique with Japanese precision and hospitality. Opened in 1973 and led by chef Olivier Chaignon, the restaurant features an opulent Art Deco-inspired dining room with high ceilings, a spiral staircase, and museum-quality art. It is widely regarded as one of the finest French dining experiences in Asia.