Les Saisons — Restaurant in Tokyo

I debated whether to share this cautionary tale but figured I’d spare my American and French friends from the misstep that is Les Saisons.

While in Tokyo I enjoyed several wonderful restaurants and sadly ended the adventure at the sole disappointment, Les Saisons. I will start with the positives as the restaurant offers an elegant ambiance and impeccable service that set the stage for what should have been a delightful culinary experience.

However… the visit uncovered a total culinary disaster that left me questioning the chef’s judgment and skill. The fixed menu caters to the Japanese palate and left me craving traditional French cuisine. I kept asking myself what happened to the classic French mainstay dishes.

Ambiance: Upon entering Les Saisons, I was immediately struck by the tasteful decor and sophisticated ambiance. The blend of modern elegance and charm creates a welcoming atmosphere perfect for a relaxing romantic evening out. The attentive staff further enhanced this positive first impression, ensuring our needs were promptly attended to throughout the evening.

Service: The service at Les Saisons was exemplary, with eager staff who tried diligently to overcome the worst fixed menu I have ever encountered. They were attentive without being intrusive, adding to the overall pleasant dining experience.

Food: Unfortunately, the culinary experience took a downturn immediately with the arrival of the first dish, a bland crab spread. The second course consisted of an overly fishy raw sardine dish. The disappointment continued with the pigeon, touted as a seasonal highlight, which arrived disappointingly undercooked and lacking in flavor. The black truffle pastry lacked flavor and was a disappointment. Finishing the meal was a bland melon dessert.

Price: Speaking of prices, Les Saisons does not shy away from charging premium rates, which only heightened the disappointment when the quality of the dishes did not align with the expectations set by the ambiance and service. While I appreciate the effort to showcase local ingredients, the execution fell short of justifying the cost.

Overall Experience: Les Saisons in Tokyo presents a promising package of ambiance and service, making it an attractive choice for those seeking a refined dining experience. For a restaurant that prides itself on being an example of French cuisine, traditional French recipes in the kitchen are sorely needed to match the excellence found in other aspects of the dining experience. Les Saisons attempts to reinvent the French culinary wheel but...

I wish the experience had been a positive and pleasant one, apart from its ambience and tasteful setting.

The restaurant was beautiful and classy, true to what a Michelin-starred stood for.

A group of 8 of us had a private room for important discussion.

The dinner actually started well with them paying attention to the dietary needs of some of the group members and giving all diners a menu card individually. And the food was good, edible but nothing amazing.

I was surprised that none of them were well-trained to explain the dishes in English, which was what we experienced even in non-Micheline but high end restaurant. Even when they tried to explain in Japanese to one of us who could speak Japanese just as well, she could not quite fully understand what they were saying.

To make things worse, some staff, especially the manager, were wearing a gloomy face throughout our dining experience. I wasn't sure if they were unhappy about working there, or serving us. We asked for rice bread from the beginning and they could forget to serve. When we reminded them, there was not even slightest apology on the oversight from the manager.

It was an awful experience in such a bad service restaurant and I urge that everyone to reconsider visiting this place unless you do not mind your mood...

Visited this restaurant for our special occasion dinner, and was glad that we chose this incredible high-end French restaurant located within the Imperial Hotel Tokyo.

As this is a high-end French restaurant in the Imperial Hotel Tokyo, all male guests were required to wear a blazer for dinner.

All the dishes served were impeccable, each crafted like one of a kind art piece and of course tasting remarkably delicious.

The services provided by the staffs can only be described as being spectacular. Every one of the waiters and waitresses were very professional and respectful to the customers’ preferences, whether that is related to an allergy, dietary restrictions, or even just personal preferences. As I am not very fond of any dishes with chocolate, the staffs kindly acknowledged and accommodated the original chocolate flavored desert by serving a desert utilizing fresh peach, which was also very delicious and refreshing.

Overall, with its well crafted and delicious dishes served by professional staffs gave us a truest premium dining experience that would be engraved in our memory as being one of the most prestigious French dining experiences a person could experience in the...