anjir is a lovely little restaurant and wine bar hidden in one of Kichijoji’s back streets. Tucked away in a nook between a hairdresser and a Japanese style pub, it goes easily unnoticed to passers by. My boyfriend and I discovered it by chance one night while wandering around to find a place to eat.
The Atmosphere
A quick look at the menu convinced us to give it a try. The name anjir doesn’t quite make it obvious, but the restaurant offers mostly French cuisine. The menu is not huge, but they have some daily specials so there is always variety and change.
Even though we went there on a Friday night, the place was empty. It was refreshing to find a quiet place, but it did make us a bit hesitant to go in at first. We decided to be adventurous and give it a try since we did not have any other alternatives in mind.
The restaurant was not very big, which gave it a real intimate and homey atmosphere. There was a secluded table at the back where we sat very comfortably, but by the time we left the place had filled up!
The Drinks
I started off with some sparkling wine and moved on to red wine during the course of dinner. I had a glass of Petit Enira 2015, a Bulgarian wine. It was a good medium-bodied wine with a woody note, but I was not super impressed by it. However, for a 600 yen house wine, it was definitely better than average. Thankfully, it was not overly chilled as it is too often the case in Japan.
The Food
Homemade Chicken Liver Pâté
The Homemade Chicken Liver Pâté was a 10 out of 10. The texture was smooth, the taste strong yet not overpowering, and the pepper added just enough spice. It came with complimentary baguette on the side, which was just perfect.
Raw Lamb Ham
I have had raw lamb ham once before and I could hardly tell the difference from normal raw ham. anjir‘s Raw Lamb Ham was a completely different experience. It had a substantial but delicate gamey flavor and its texture was very soft and smooth.
Mont Saint-Michel Omelette
When we ordered the omelette, I didn’t expect it to be as big as it was. It was impressively fluffy and light. The sauce that came with it was a wonder! It was a rich mix of bacon, cream, mushrooms, butter and wine. Being from Normandy, I obviously know of the famous Mont Saint-Michel omelette from la Mère Poulard. However, the price and the line-up were always a turn-off so I never ended-up trying it. I guess it’s ironic that I got to try my first Mont Saint-Michel Omelette in Japan, but what a pleasant surprise!
Duck Leg Confit (1/2 serving)
The Duck Leg Confit was perfectly cooked and came with potato gratin that went extremely well with it.
Chicken and Mushrooms with Butter sauce (1/2 serving)
The Chicken and Mushrooms were also incredibly flavorful. The mushrooms were absolutely divine; soaked in butter and seasoned just enough to accentuate the natural flavors of the various types of mushrooms. The all-grain mustard paired perfectly with the chicken.
Cheese Platter
anjir weak’s spot was its Cheese Platter. It was not quite enough cheese for two people and the selection was a bit disappointing. The blue cheese, mimolette and camembert were pretty standard. There was also a caramel cheese, which I did not find particularly interesting. It was more of a dessert than a cheese. After scoring pretty high with every dish, I wish we could have ended our meal on a better note.
Overall
The food was great. The head chef, Nagai-san, runs anjir with his sister. I was very surprised to hear that he studied French cuisine in Japan and only went to France a couple of times as tourist. The flavors of the pâté and the gratin were so authentic, I was honestly impressed! The wine I had was enjoyable, and they had other bottles that I would be interested to try in the future.
Without a doubt, anjir is worth trying if you are in Kichijoji and want to enjoy a bit of wine with great food in a quiet setting. It is a modest place with no pretention that completely exceeded my expectations — a real hidden gem!
anjir
Opening hours: open everyday from 18:00 to 00:00
Website: click here
Address: 2 Chome-13 Kichijoji Minami-cho, Musashino, Tokyo
Telephone: 0422-76-3609
