Ebisu is definitely one of my favorite places in Tokyo to dine out. I love how cosmopolitan it is, and every time I walk around the area my ‘must-try restaurants’ list gets longer. I had my heart set on L’IGNIS for a little while so on Valentine’s night my boyfriend and I gave it a try.
The Atmosphere
The huge glass windows catch the eye as you walk by. If you want to have an intimate dinner there is a small counter with a view of the kitchen at the entrance. We had a nice table by one of the windows and I think it was probably more comfortable than the counter seats.
The main dining room is quite spacious. I really liked the interior and the atmosphere. The place felt like a cosy library and was decorated with shelves full of books and wine bottles. What else to ask for?
The Food
L’IGNIS specializes in wood-fired cuisine and the main culinary influence is Italian. They have 2 set courses. You can choose between the 6 course meal ‘L’Ignis’ (7,800 yen), or the 7 course meal ‘Share course’ (4,800 yen), which is meant to be shared. These two courses are probably fine, but we went à la carte because we like having the freedom to choose what we eat.
Seasonal Fresh Vegetables and Anchovy Sauce (980 yen)
We started off with the Seasonal Fresh Vegetables and Anchovy Sauce. The vegetables were crunchy and the lemongrass crispy. This dish was a beautiful medley of tomatoes, beets, lotus roots, broccoli and cauliflower. Visually, the dish was pleasant and colorful. However, I thought there was not enough of the anchovy sauce. It came with a small bottle of smoky oil, but even with it, I still felt that it could have used a little bit more flavor. My boyfriend absolutely loved this dish and found it really well-dressed. I guess it is just a matter of personal preference.
Assortment of 5 Charcuterie Platter:
Speck, Coppa, Chorizo, Liver mousse and Pâté de Campagne (1,600 yen)
We then had the Assortment of 5 Charcuterie Platter. Every meat on the plate was excellent. When I saw the liver mousse stuffed with a bunch of crackers, I admit my heart dropped a little. For me, baguette is usually the way to go when it comes to pâté. Surprisingly, the crackers turned out to be very tasty. The gingerbread flavor paired really well with the strong taste of the liver mousse. My only complaint is that it was hard to get the mousse without accidentally breaking them into small pieces.
Marinated Tomatoes with Mozzarella Mousse (880 yen)
Quite unexpectedly, the highlight of the evening was the Marinated Tomatoes with Mozzarella Mousse. The texture of this mozzarella was absolutely fantastic, it was creamy and extremely soft. It blended perfectly with the marinated tomatoes, the basil and the olive oil. I could not resist eating it with some baguette… my apologies to all the Italian people out there.
Wood-Burned Zao Beef Tartare (1,480 yen)
The Wood-Burned Zao Beef Tartare was a disappointment. First, the size of the portion was small. I never expect huge portions when I dine out in Japan, but this was really on the light side. Second, I expected raw meat, but it was more cooked than raw. I guess the combination of ‘wood-burned’ and ‘tartare’ should have raised a red flag… Third, I was unpleasantly surprised by the choice of presentation. The meat was served into the hollow of a huge bone that was cut in half, and that was a bit of a turn off. The flavors were good, but all elements taken into account, it did not live up to my expectations.
Pearl Barley Risotto with Wood-burned Scallops and Porcini (1,600 yen)
The Pearl Barley Risotto with Wood-burned Scallops and Porcini cheered me up. It came with two big scallops, perfectly cooked, soft and tender. The porcini had a nice nutty flavor. The sauce was rich and creamy, but the pearl barley was a little bit undercooked.
Grilled Zao Beef Top Round (3,300 yen)
The Grilled Zao Beef Top Round was nice, but a little bit too well-done for me. The beef came with some oroshi sauce — a sauce made from Japanese radish — but it was really, really bland. We couldn’t detect any particular taste to it.
Assorted 3 Kinds of Cheeses (1,500 yen)
Canape with Fig and Cream Cheese (650 yen)
Now for the part I am always excited to get to: cheeses. L’IGNIS has an assortment of 3 cheeses platter. The blue cheese was a bit mild, but the camembert and the mimolette were good. They did not blow my mind but they were still enjoyable enough. Too bad the pieces were so small! We also tried the Canape with Fig and Cream Cheese, which was average.
Chocolate Cake with Kinkan and Parmesan Biscuits with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (900 yen)
We ate a lot, but we were still in the mood for dessert. We had the tart of the day, which was actually a chocolate cake topped with kinkan — a Japanese kumquat — and parmesan biscuits. The chocolate cake was too hard and dry. There was a layer of mascarpone in between the chocolate base and the kinkan, but it did not really do the trick. The kinkan, however, was a nice discovery. I really like sweet and savory combinations, but the parmesan biscuits didn’t win me over. They tasted good, but did not blend well with the rest of the dessert. I felt that it would have been better off without them. Other than the kinkan, the homemade vanilla ice cream was a nice touch.
The Drinks
I had a glass of champagne and one glass of the red wine Fattoria di Azzano with dinner. The wine was the cheapest from the menu, but it was better than the average house wine. There is a quite good wine selection at L’IGNIS so you should be able to find one that suits you. We would have enjoyed a digestive after such a big meal, or at least a nice espresso, but L’IGNIS does not offer any. Even though they had nice wines, outside of that, there was not much to choose from.
Overall
I enjoyed our time at L’IGNIS. The food was good with a few highlights, but it was not exceptional. I really liked the atmosphere and the decor, and the service was quick. I would consider going there again to try more from their menu, but I would not go out of my way for it. Obviously, with everything we ordered, dinner ended up being pricey. I wouldn’t have minded the price if everything was on point, but it was a bit expensive for what it was.
L’IGNIS
Opening hours: open everyday from 17:00 to 01:00 or 02:00 depending on the day
Website: click here
Address: 4 Chome-27-1 Ebisu, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0013
Telephone: 03-6721-9580
