Mētis Roppongi

This French restaurant with counter service exemplifies ‘Wakon Yosai’ - ‘Japanese spirit with Western learning’. In the kitchen, the chef works the blazing wood fire with the skills he honed in Paris to fashion a harmonious blend of French cuisine with Japanese ingredients and wood-fire cooking. Seafood is wreathed in smoky fragrances, wagyu beef swaddled in flavour from the wood flame and steam. He finds clever ways to expand the possibilities of Japanese ingredients, by for example using sake lees in sauces.

What makes it worth the detour

• Eight-seat counter: chef's-table pacing, with most cooking happening within arm's reach.
• Wood-flame French: French technique, Japanese seasons, and the smoky perfume of firewood.
• Clear house rules: fully reservation-only, with defined cancellation windows and a no-children policy for the counter.

Ingredient stars

• Seasonal Japanese produce: The menu shifts with the calendar, keeping flavours crisp and in-season.
• Wood fire: Smoke and char are part of the kitchen's signature, used as seasoning rather than spectacle.
• French foundations: Classic French technique is the through-line, with Japanese ingredients doing the heavy lifting.

Format

• Chef's-table French cooking at an eight-seat counter.

Omakase course

• 17 items (11 dishes): 27,000 JPY (29,700 JPY incl. 10% service).

Wine pairing

• 8 glasses: 17,000 JPY (18,700 JPY incl. 10% service).

Cooking style

• French technique threaded with Japanese seasons, with a noticeable wood-fire edge.