I love Japanese cuisine, but I must admit that I often miss French food. In the past, my first instinct was to head to Kagurazaka, Aoyama or Ginza whenever I needed a taste from home. Even though there are many great French restaurants in these areas, the truth is that my wallet could not keep up with my cravings. When I heard about L’Amitié, supposedly one of the most affordable yet authentic French bistros in Tokyo, I was truly delighted.
L’Amitié is located in Takadanobaba, a.k.a Tokyo’s cheap student neighborhood. At first, I had some reservations about it due to its location, but I must say, it went far beyond my expectations. Until now, it is the most authentic and affordable French bistro I have been to in Tokyo. The quantity and quality you get for the price you pay is unbeatable. French food definitely tastes better when you do not need to ruin yourself or leave the restaurant still hungry!
The Atmosphere
L’Amitié is located just off Takadanobaba’s main street. The inside is very simple; it looks just like an average French bistro. No fuss and nothing fancy! However, do not expect to just walk in and get a seat. The place is almost always booked up a month in advance, and they only accept reservations up to a month away. Yes… it is THAT popular. A few calendar reminders and failed attempts later, I eventually managed to get a table for a Saturday night!
The Food
There is only one dinner course, and it is outrageously inexpensive. You can choose a starter and a main dish from the menu for 2,800 yen, although some options cost extra. If you are still hungry, they also have desserts for about 600 yen. The drink selection is, however, a little bit more on the expensive side. The price for a carafe of wine starts at 2,400 yen and the cheapest bottle costs 3,800 yen.
Escargots de Bourgogne
Escargot is a French classic, so a good French bistro should always have it on their menu. L’Amitié’s escargot was definitely a good pick. The butter parsley sauce was to die for!
Assiette de Charcuterie: pâté de campagne, jambon de Paris, rosette, chorizo et rillettes
I got the Assiette de Charcuterie (Charcuterie Platter) and was very impressed by how big it was! Every cold meat was tasty and went well with the complimentary baguette.
Carré d’Agneau Rôti
The Carré d’Agneau Rôti (Roasted Lamb Shoulder) costed an extra 1000 yen, but I went for it anyway. I absolutely do not regret it. The piece of lamb shoulder was big, juicy and cooked to perfection.
Joue de Boeuf Braisé au Vin Rouge
My boyfriend chose the Joue de Boeuf Braisé au Vin Rouge (Beef Cheek Cooked in Red Wine) and it was absolutely fabulous. The meat was incredibly tender and the wine sauce was extremely flavorful.
Fromages (2 assortiments)
For dessert, I went with the 2 cheese selection: camembert and roquefort. If it was just a little bigger, I would have no complaint.
Ile flottante
L’île flottante (floating island) was light and fluffy. They did a great job with the caramel sauce and were generous with the almonds!
The Drinks
My beloved Calvados
For me there are two ways to conclude a good meal: a strong espresso or a nice glass of Calvados. The latter being harder to find in Japan, I usually do not hesitate to order it when it is on the drink list — especially when it costs about 500 yen, which is half what it costs in any other place in Tokyo.
Overall
Quite frankly, I can do nothing but strongly recommend L’Amitié. The quality you get for the money you pay is just unbelievable. If you are looking for haute cuisine or some fancy setting to impress your date, this is obviously not the right spot. However, if you want some simple but authentic French food, you can’t go wrong with L’Amitié.
All the prices included in this article are excluding taxes.
L’Amitié
Opening hours: closed on Sunday evenings and Mondays, open from 12:00 to 15:00 and from 18:00 to 23:30
Website (Tabelog – Japanese only): click here
Address: L’Amitié, 2 Chome-9-12 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku City, Tokyo
Telephone: 03-5272-5010
