Brasserie Viron Marunouchi — Restaurant in Tokyo

I stumbled upon a charming little spot with all the trappings of a French café, so I popped in to pick up a baguette. The ambiance was spot-on, but the staff were less reminiscent of any Parisian boulangerie I’ve ever visited, and more of a masterclass in aloof snobbery.

I asked—quite simply—if they carried anything like a spelt or ancient grain loaf. This sent them scurrying to the kitchen, only to return and deliver a monologue entirely unrelated to my question, reciting their limited knowledge with the fervour of a man defending his dissertation.

By the end, I was thoroughly exhausted by the performance and made a discreet exit before they embarked on the history of yeast.

•••••••••••••• As for the baguette itself—surely the point of the whole excursion—it turned out to be aggressively salted. Quite unsuitable for demi-sel butter, and entirely unworkable for any sandwich containing so much as a whisper of seasoning. One might say it was a loaf with trust...

Had a delicious weekday lunch at Cafe Viron in Maranouchi. Ordered the lunch special fish and meat, it came with refillable baguette. It was around 5000 yen for two people weekday lunch but you can get a cheaper a la carte.

The food came very quickly which was great because we had to wait a while in line. Just be aware, you need to write your name on the list, the line is not the order of people, so we had to wait a little longer than people who arrived after us.

The dishes were filling and had great flavor dispersed through the mashed potato that the protein lay upon, and the creamy sauce that surrounded it....

Went there for dinner about one month ago. Located in one of the top commercial buildings at Marunouchi, it is very close to Tokyo Station. It is very convenient for a tourist, especially if you stay in this area. Layout is like a typical French bistro with its own bakery. Staff can communicate in English. Service was good. Quality of food was nice and price was reasonable. On the date of my visit, a Wednesday evening, it was full. It was well patronised by locals. I think the apple pie was an excellent choice to end the dinner. Will consider a revisit if I am...