Café Madu Aoyama — Restaurant in Tokyo

Went for lunch. Food not bad. Nothing to write home about. Would get four stars except for the extremely noisy environment. Sounds absorbing acoustic panels? Zero. Fabric or cork or anything to damp the sound? Nil. Just hard, flat reflective surfaces on floor, walls and ceiling. So the sound just keeps bouncing around. People have to talk louder and louder to compensate, which only makes matters worse. This problem is hardly unique to Cafe Madu. Designers seem to concern themselves with the visual environment alone. This would not happen in countries where acoustics are considered an essential...

A little (french) oasis of calm in Aioyama. All around you is the (extremely upscale, and stylish) bustle of Aioyama, while in here is, what feels completely like, a classic parisian cafe - completel with outward facing chairs, wee tables, and atmosphere. The menu is fairly complete and correct too (with the food actually quite good). If not anything ese, sit back, have a coffee, or one of the ciders, and just...

Located next to the Madu furniture, decoration and home goods store in Tokyo’s trendy Minamiaoyama district, this is a busy cafe with French influence in the menu. Sweet and savoury options and well brewed coffee. Indoor seating with a few French brasserie style tables outside. It tends to get very busy at lunch and coffee times. I particularly rate their...