SHIN-NIHONBASHI/KANDA: Cul De Sac 980yen Roast Beef as see on TV! BUT all beef no Smiles.

Another entry on my list of restaurants to try after watching one of my favorite Sunday after noon shows Kings Brunch... lunch segment featured a giant slab of Roast Beef for a reasonable 980yen!  Finally made plans and gave it a go!  As you can see in this picture (shot of one of the waiters) the staff never smiled... just glared at you.

The ONLY thing served for lunch is Roast Beef so they'll just ask if you would like Coffee or Tea after your meal... quick and easy.  In and out for 980yen.

Nice bottle of tap water...

One slice per lunch goer... nothing special here and no pleasant refills.

Salad was great... first time to see couscous mixed in.

And it arrives!  Nice chunky piece of Roast Beef...

Overall Cul De Sac's roast beef was simply just a hunk of meat... I assume its hard to find roast beef on a regular basis and most of us in Japan go bonkers for it... but at the end of the day it was simply a slab of meat that really didn't stand out.  Tenderness or flavor was not consistent throughout... perhaps its a quality issue.  I didn't have the urge to lean over and eat my friends Roast Beef either... doubt I'll have cravings for Cul-de-Sac's beef anytime soon.  But eh... for 980yen it was a deal.

The best part of the meal was this banana chiffon cake! Fluffy, moist and baked to perfection.

After lunch earl gray tea followed to close the meal.  Think there was something special about this tea... one of the female lunch goers asked for the brand.

Some outside seating...

We were seated outside so no shots of the interior but you can click HERE.  The two Chefs were too busy checking out my friends breasts to say the traditional "irrashaimasse (welcome)" as we entered and staff never smiled as they assisted us thru the entire meal.  Overall service kinda sucked and roast beef just too mediocre to merit another visit.  If you want a stunning Roast Beef Lunch then please give Fortnum & Mason a try in Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi... that was perfection. 

Shop: Cul De Sac

Location: Shin-Nihonbashi, Kanda area (One stop from Tokyo Station)

Shop Website: http://www.id3.jp/cul/index.php

Foodie Website: http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1302/A130202/13103897/

Address J: 東京都中央区日本橋本石町4-4-16

Address E: Tokyo, Chuo-Ku, Nihonbashi, Hongokucho
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TAKADANOBABA: L'AMITIE French in a college town (Waseda University)

Mari enjoys French cuisine... and as you can see my blog is mostly filled with things other than French.  So... there was this spot she talked about in Takadanobaba... baba? French in college town baba?  hmm... I always thought great French food could only be found in Azabu, Aoyama or Ginza.  So off to L'Amitie we went. 

Had to make a reservation 3 weeks in advance for a Saturday 7pm slot.  L'Amitie offers an exceptional 2,700yen course menu only.  

My first dish "Pate de Champage" was massive... the volume! 

Mari went for the "Avocat Aux Crevettes" as her 1st dish.  Shrimp on a Avocado.

So our Main meal begins...

Mari's 2nd dish was simply amazing, "Persillade De Travers de Porc" or the tenderest softest pork spare ribs you ever had on a bed of mash potatos... the green baked crust around the pork was... well you'll just have to order this.  The best plate of the evening.

So so tender ribs.

My 2nd dish "Hachis Parmentier." It was a small baked dish with three layers... cheese, mashed potatoes and very tasty ground beef on the very bottom.  It wasn't as amazing as the roast beef but still very memorable.

Dessert Menu.

Tried the "Sorbet a la fruit de la Passion" or fruit sorbet.  Yum!

And a coffee to end the meal.   L'Amitie is ranked a spectacular 3.89 on Japan's #1 Foodie Site and it didn't disappointed.  For around 8,000yen we had an amazing meal that would easily be double that in posh Azabu, Aoyama, Roppongi, Ginza etc.  We think a French family runs the spot... have to clarify this one day.  Anyways if you want an amazing French meal then take the time to visit Takadanobaba... a very vibrant college town so it will be a fun stroll thru the neighborhood.

SHOP: L'AMITIE

Location: JR Takananobaba Station

Shop Website: http://www.zooom.jp/selection/detail.do?id=426

Foodie Website: http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1305/A130503/13004131/

Address J:  東京都新宿区高田馬場2-9-12

Address E:  Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku, Takadanobaba 2-9-12

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