Chez Olivier — Restaurant in Tokyo

I had lunch today, 4 plates. Overall I believe I was expecting too much because of all the positive reviews, but because I got bored with 2 dishes, I am giving it only 4 stars, as other non-Michelin places have given me more satisfaction for less the price.

1. amuse was squid ink cracker with a savory mousse on top, it was a lovely start. Also had a little bread with the texture of corn bread but had bacon inside.

2. a. duck terrine was absolutely divine. Probably my favorite. Bottom layer was like a pate with cashew, in the middle was savory duck breast, and then mousse of foie gras at the top. The wine sauce accented it very well. Each bite was better than the last and it was very good classical french with beautiful presentation

B.my parter had kampachi or amberjack with mango, wasabi oil and passion fruit. It was not creative at all, the taste was as is, yes it was beautiful but the it’s not like a harmonious dish where everything together exploded to something wonderful. Total disappointment. A regular Japanese restaurant would have come up with something more interesting.

3. fish with mussel cream sauce. Classical, yes it was good, but was there anything new or creative? Not really.

A. Pork with beets. At first I didn’t like it, because the pork was boring, and the wrapped ham made it just salty. I tried to appreciate it better by making sure every piece had a beet slice which would balance out the saltiness. However, their choice of sauce, a ginger sauce, is too commonplace in Asia so I just felt like it was a pretty “pork shogayaki” 豚の生姜焼き. But I guess pork is a bad decision for your main dish anyway. There is not much way to elevate the taste of pork.

4.B. Veal, not in the menu as offered by the server. It had a lemony sauce, also with beets, and also a fresh mushroom and thick mushroom sauce. This was much better, the meat itself was flavourful on its own, and blended well with the other sauces.

a. Dessert of 3 kinds of chocolate mouse and ice cream and sweetened banana at the base, topped with big flakes of chocolate and cumin If you love chocolate then I’m sure you will enjoy this. It was just okay for me

B. Soymilk cheesecake and soy ice cream.

Definitely wow. I have never tried soymilk based desserts. I actually forgot when they served it that it would be soy, and not regular cheese cake, so I was trying to figure out what it was. I enjoyed that moment of tasting something new, and figuring it out. The mousse was also very good, and there were pistachio kisses, blueberry jelly

I had tea with the petit fours.

Why I gave only 4 stars, looking at previous photos it seemed the restaurant was capable of serving more creative food, but when we went there, one entree was definitely boring and uncreative, and the fish was so typical. I really wanted this to be my best non-formal French lunch in Tokyo but I guess I didn’t get why they would have one Michelin star. I eat a lot around Aoyama, Omotesando, and small fine dining places there do serve similar interesting dishes for less the cost.

If you go there, do get the more traditional offerings in the menu, and I think the fish is unnecessary unless you’re hungry.

Lunch Chargr 7,500 per 4 plats 1,200 for sparkling 1000...

I went to Chez Olivier for my wife's birthday and we chose the Menu Dégustation (¥12,500 + 10% service fee), which included X courses.

The menu was absolutely incredible — perfectly balanced and built like a crescendo. Admittedly, I'm not used to high-end restaurants, so this experience really broadened my culinary horizons. I was genuinely amazed by the variety of flavors, textures, and sensations created by the chef.

My wife and I spent 2.5 hours enjoying this lunch, and we realized that the entire time we only talked about how the food made us feel. Each bite was an explosion of flavor — from the sweetness and acidity to the textures and surprising use of ingredients.

The chef is clearly very skilled, and it's obvious that each dish is crafted with intention. Every ingredient had a purpose. For instance, I was surprised by how zucchini and cucumber — which are usually quite mild — added depth and crunch while enhancing the flavor dynamics. Using cumin in a chocolate and cherry dessert was bold, but it totally worked, creating an unexpected harmony. Every dish was extremely well-designed, offering a unique tasting and textural experience.

The bouchées d’apéritif were a strong start — three refined, delicate one-bite dishes, each beautifully presented and distinct in taste. The progression of the courses was thoughtful, starting with more gentle flavors and gradually building up to a satisfying beef steak with wine sauce.

Just before dessert, a staff member brought over a cheese cart and offered us a plate (for an additional charge). I’m not sure if this was offered to everyone, or only to French guests living in Japan — perhaps knowing how special these cheeses are when you miss them in daily life. Either way, I couldn't resist and asked for a plate with a selection of all four.

The dessert was a wonderful conclusion — a dark cherry and chocolate ice cream with layered textures and a touch of crispy caramel flavored with cumin. Again, surprising and delightful.

Throughout the meal, we were served three types of homemade bread (baguette, sourdough campagne, and sourdough with seeds) — seemingly unlimited, even though this wasn’t explicitly stated. Served with high-quality French butter flavored with chili, it was perfect for mopping up every bit of sauce. As a bread lover, I really appreciated this detail.

The service was excellent. The chef greeted us personally and served a few of the dishes himself. Before dessert, he returned to our table to ask how we were enjoying the meal. Very polite, warm, and never intrusive. We even chatted briefly about our hometown, as we both come from the Bordeaux region.

I truly loved everything about this lunch and would highly recommend Chez Olivier. Of course, it’s a splurge, but it felt absolutely worth it — never overpriced, just an exceptional and...

Very good, ok, outstanding as an occasional treat. We ate the anniversary dinner which runs to about 12 courses depending how you count the small offerings like amuse-bouche and cheese selections. Menu changes daily according to food availability in the markets; as an indication ours included cherrywood-smoked then roasted pigeon, a scallop dish and a lobster dish and much more besides. Be sure to mention any allergies etc when booking. Service with a real smile, and not intrusive. Excellent white wines, breads, cheeses. And then there were the Australian truffles, lots of them, really. Quite minimalist decor, I think if you're looking for a private dinner with some real flair from the chef, you'll not be disappointed. Wines by the glass ran to a selection of about 12, though I'm sure the cellar is much more extensive. In the long drinks department, a solitary mass market French lager and no mention, (as far as I could tell...) of any French cider (eg from Normandy) were the only weak points for us. A3 exit from Ichigaya...