Girouette — Restaurant in Nikko

Another wonderful meal at Girouette. They offers course meals as well as a la carte and are fine with guests sharing plates. The atmosphere is relaxing and casual but this chef takes his craft seriously. The wines are also well chosen and very reasonable...so much value here. I beg you to get the pâté (there are a few varieties)...you order bread separately, which is slightly strange, but get a warming bag with an assortment of excellent bread. Worth it. The duck confit was also very very good. The carrot râpé has a delightful cumin dressing. The appetizer of delicately smoked Yashio trout, which is a local fish, is another favorite. When going the ala carte route, I recommend sticking to the classic French dishes...there a few missteps I've run into with more mundane items on the menu like spaghetti Napolitano and pilaf that seem to be there to keep the place inclusive...

While looking for a restaurant near our hotel in Nikko – with many places unfortunately closed that evening – we happened to stumble upon a true gem.

From the very beginning, the welcome was wonderful: the lady who greeted us was funny, warm, and incredibly attentive. Since we don’t speak Japanese, we communicated through a voice translation app, which actually made the experience even more unique and friendly.

We went for the five-course menu, and it was a real culinary journey. Special mention to the beef stew: tender, flavorful, and perfectly executed. Hats off as well to the chef, who came to say a few words in French, a thoughtful gesture that made the evening even more memorable.

The setting itself is also worth highlighting: refined, elegant, and fully in line with the spirit of French gastronomy, adding the perfect touch to the meal.

All in all, it was an unforgettable experience, both for the outstanding food and the heartwarming hospitality. I warmly recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Nikko.

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En cherchant un restaurant près de notre hôtel à Nikko – beaucoup étant malheureusement fermés ce soir-là – nous sommes tombés par hasard sur une véritable perle.

Dès notre arrivée, l’accueil a été irréprochable : la dame qui nous a reçus était à la fois drôle, chaleureuse et incroyablement attentionnée. Ne parlant pas japonais, nous avons communiqué grâce à une application de traduction vocale, ce qui a rendu l’expérience encore plus unique et conviviale.

Nous avons choisi le menu en cinq étapes, une véritable découverte culinaire. Mention spéciale au ragoût de bœuf : une viande fondante, savoureuse et parfaitement exécutée. Chapeau également au chef, qui est venu échanger quelques mots en français avec nous, un geste qui a rendu le moment encore plus mémorable.

Enfin, le cadre lui-même mérite d’être souligné : une atmosphère raffinée et élégante, parfaitement dans le thème de la gastronomie française, qui complétait à merveille le repas.

En résumé, une expérience mémorable, tant pour la qualité des plats que pour l’accueil chaleureux. Une adresse que je recommande chaudement à quiconque...

This place is very disappointing. When you come in you get to pay 500 for having a chair. Then 500 minimal for mandatory drink. I ordered mineral water. The bottle was open & completely full. But there was also water in my glass? Where did that come from? It was obviously tapwater. So by now you've paid 1000 for sitting and tap water, but that does not include the 10% tax. You are down 1100 before ordering food.

The food we got was average. The portion was pretty small and the fish slightly overcooked. The vegetables were in a sauce that was too acid. On top of that it was quite expensive.

All in all I feel ripped of and the food wasn't...