Comme Chez Michel

Cream and butter are kept to an absolute minimum and dishes are finished with a carefully made bouillon; authentic Paris bistro cuisine is served with no adaptations for Japanese tastes. Selected French ingredients such as French chestnuts and green peas are used throughout, and a varied lineup combining offal dishes, a la carte items and prix fixe options fully expresses the distinct character of seasonal ingredients.

The interior, located on the corner in the heart of Kyoto where Yanagibaba Street and Aneyakoji intersect, exudes an elegant air as if a Paris bistro had been brought here intact. A relaxed atmosphere where you can enjoy French cuisine without pretension and a gentle, attentive service blend together, creating a comfort that naturally welcomes everyone from someone stopping by after work to friends dining together.

In Paris's 10th district, the famous bistro "She Mishel" (Chez Michel), where he trained for three years under chef Tieri Buruton (Thierry Breton), inspired chef Takashi Okawa to open his own restaurant with the desire to come even one step closer to "Chez Michel." He opened on April 29, 2009, in Kyoto at Karasuma Oike. The restaurant has earned the Michelin Guide Kyoto-Osaka Bib Gourmand for multiple years and has long been loved as a representative French bistro of Kyoto.

Owner-chef Mr. Okawa spent three of his four years and ten months in Paris at She Misheru, where he mastered the essence of bistronomy. After returning to Japan, he faithfully carried on the philosophy of his training and continues to preserve authentic techniques for drawing out the natural flavors of ingredients using bouillon. He is also known for sincere hospitality—personally calling back reservation inquiries that arrive on his days off, as well as for his cooking.