Le Coeur’s tagline, “casual champagne dining,” perfectly sums up their unique atmosphere: This French restaurant boasts all the sophistication of fine dining contained in an intimate setting.
Though located just minutes from Roppongi station, Le Coeur is tucked away in a backstreet, on the second floor of the Morinaga Building. Pay attention, as it’s easy to miss!
(Photo courtesy of Le Coeur)
However, it’s this cozy location that gives Le Coeur its charm. The dining room seats twelve, and the bar, six. Sitting at the bar gives diners a chance to chat up the staff, including sommelier Madoka Ogiya, who speaks English and had some excellent recommendations on wine pairings.
For the best value, go for the “Thank You” set (¥3,900). This four-course meal offers a variety of Le Coeur’s fare, and comes with a plate of three appetizers, a hashed-beef and rice dish, your choice of a main dish and dessert.
The food is beautifully plated, and everything top notch.
First comes a presentation of an assortment of both hot and cold appetizers, from which guests can choose three. The sea bass Carpaccio, herb-and-chicken sausage and cream-simmered escargot all were delicious. Most notably, the tomato sauce served with the herb-chicken sausage is light and pure. The escargot’s texture is nice—soft but not springy, and the accompanying cream sauce is light but flavorful.
The chef’s specialty, hashed-beef and rice, features beef stewed to tender perfection in champagne for a remarkable ten days, rendering the beef savory and sparkling-wine sweet.
The spirit of champagne dining is present in the fish of the day, pan-simmered in white butter with champagne reduction. The fish was cooked perfectly, infused right through with champagne flavor, topped with a butter sauce that was rich yet not excessively salty.
The perfect finish was Le Coeur’s champagne mousse, which was pleasantly tart and smooth, reminiscent of champagne cheesecake. They also have an incredible crème brûlée and chocolate cake. All desserts come with delicious, homemade vanilla ice cream. Try pairing dessert with their sweet muscat wine.
As mentioned, seating is limited so making reservations is advisable.
At around ¥5,000 for dinner and drinks, the restaurant is quite reasonable for the food’s superb quality. Le Coeur is a hidden gem that fuses upscale fare with a low-key atmosphere for a fresh dining experience.
7-9-5 Morinaga building 2F, Roppongi, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-6432-9688. Mon-Fri, 6-11pm; Sat, 10:30am-11pm; Sun & hols 10:30am-10pm. Closed Wed & every 2nd and 3rd Tue. Nearest station: Roppongi. www.lecoeur-roppongi.jp/en/lecoeur
