Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on February 2009

Photos courtesy of Pixy Inc

Parisians call it “prix fixe” and Tokyoites say “ko-su.” Either way, ordering a set meal is a fantastic way to get a sense of a restaurant’s culinary range. And let’s face it: sometimes, you just want to sit back and leave the decision-making to someone else. Although nearly every classy eatery in Tokyo now offers at least one full-course meal, we were still surprised to hear that Calcifer’s Grill in Ginza deals exclusively in set menus.

Before our visit on a recent Saturday evening (the restaurant is open for dinner only), we had preordered the five-plate seasonal course (¥5,980). A complimentary glass of spumante awaited us on our arrival—a good start. As the bubbles started going to our head, the waiter came by with several carts of antipasto and instructed us to choose any three. We decided on quiche lorraine, buttery grilled scallops and Kyoto veggies in a light anchovy sauce. These were accompanied by a serving of smoky, tender foie gras.
Empty antipasti plates were quickly replaced by crispy foccacia with olive oil, a quintessentially Italian touch that accorded perfectly with the restaurant’s dimly lit, stone-and-wood interior.

The second course consisted of pasta bianco with Hokkaido taraba crab and white asparagus, followed by creamy risotto with red sea bream and karasumi (dried mullet roe). For the entrée, we had the option of either French roast duck in a balsamic vinegar sauce or charcoal-grilled Yamagata wagyu. The steak was a no-brainer, and it arrived tender, incredibly juicy and cooked to still-pink perfection. The accompanying grilled cauliflower and salad greens balanced out the heavy meat.

Photos courtesy of Pixy Inc

Just as we began to sense there might be a limit to our appetite, those magical carts were wheeled out once again, this time loaded with a dizzying array of dessert options. We hesitated, torn between passion-fruit mousse, torta di ricotta and chiffon cake. But it was love at first sight when we laid eyes on the gateau au chocolat and champagne jelly with strawberries.

We left Calcifers’ Grill with a champagne tingle in our mouth and a new appreciation of the prix-fixe concept. Indeed, it would have been difficult to design a more satisfying meal in our wildest culinary dreams.