The Food at Sézanne in Tokyo is Perfect, But is it the Best in Asia?
Seven floors above the Maruonochi neighborhood in Tokyo within the Four Seasons Hotel, where JR train lines can be seen converging near Tokyo station, Sézanne serves French cuisine that has garnered international attention since its opening in 2021. With two Michelin stars, and having recently been named the best restaurant in Asia by The 50 Best List 2024, it is one of the hottest restaurants in the world.
Sézanne is led by Daniel Calvert, a British chef that has found success at some of the most revered restaurants in NYC, London, Paris and Hong Kong. Sézanne shines brightest when Calvert displays his perfection of French techniques alongside bits of Cantonese inspiration while taking advantage of the hyper seasonal and top quality ingredients only available in Japan. The dishes where you see the culmination of Calvert’s background conquering some of the most notable dining cities in the world are what brings Sézanne’s tasting menu to the upper echelon of fine dining.
The Foie Gras slow poached with chicken leg and soy sauce, a dish created in collaboration with Chef Danny Yip of the Chairman in Hong Kong, is an excellent example. As the foie gras coats your mouth, the chicken leg, cooked in a traditional Cantonese way with soy sauce and then minced, provides an exciting addition to the French delicacy. It was served with the most buttery warm brioche, providing an ideal blend of sophistication with comfort.
An Akkeshi Oyster with White Asparagus and Borage Flowers was served as a palette cleanser before the main course. The pickled white asparagus delivered just the right zing of acidity that you’d typically get from a mignonette. Served in a beautiful bowl with aerated rims, the light purple flowers sprinkled on top of a white asparagus cream added to the stunning visual presentation. It was an incredible, and different way to enjoy an oyster, eaten in a few bites instead of one slurp. It gave what is usually a fleeting moment of briny goodness, more time to be savored in the end.
The main course, the “Megumi” Duck with Kagoshima Asparagus, had crispy skin similar to how you might see Goose cooked on the street in Hong Kong, and was perfectly tender. The potato was buttery and luxurious, but the dish overall missed a wow factor that the Foie Gras and Oysters had. The same goes for the Morel mushroom stuffed with shrimp. The Foie Gras and Oysters left the impression it’s impossible to get something like this anywhere else, the Duck and Mushroom, did not.
Early on during the 12 course omakase it became apparent that perfection was strived for and found in every aspect of the dining experience at Sézanne. Yet, while they no doubt achieved it, I couldn’t help but feel it was this perfection that somehow held the food back from being truly unforgettable. Each dish was plated and cooked at levels unattainable to most, but in its effort to be so perfect, lacked the ability to conjure up emotions or feelings. There was only one dish that truly succeeded at this. it made me angry for all the right reasons.
It was sea bream with crispy golden skin so light that it stood up, oddly enough looking like protruding scales. It sat in a Sake Lees butter sauce with negi, a perfect blend of French technique with Japanese ingredients and flavors. The Sake Lees sauce was creamy but light providing a uniquely refreshing contrast to the juicy fish. It was so unlike anything I’ve had before that it pissed me off because I couldn’t even begin to imagine how to make such a creation. I felt the desire to go to culinary school after eating it. It was surely the most interesting dish, and is what you’d hope for from any restaurant of this caliber. It is a shame the rest of the dishes didn’t conjure the same reaction.
The food at Sézanne is worthy of recognition, without a doubt. The perfection continued throughout each course. The desserts were magnificent, the best of which was a rice pudding featuring 4 different types of citrus. But the achievement of perfection at the expense of emotion or excitement, coupled with a somewhat suffocatingly stiff atmosphere left something to be desired.
A whisper could be heard. I know this because a server took my bread before I was finished, prompting one of the senior members of the team to educate him in a hushed voice as to why that wasn’t an appropriate action. I do not mind that small hiccup in service, especially when the front of house team did such an amazing job, but I would prefer not to hear that conversation, and I do not think I should have been able to. The service was all in all incredible and seamless. They were kind and attentive, even to the point where my dad and I received different colored serviettes to match the shade of our pants. However, without any real ambiance to distract you from their presence, their attentiveness almost felt like surveillance.
Sézanne bears a price tag just as significant as its accolades (¥50,000/person). I am not confident in saying that everyone would find this meal worth that cost. Maybe a celebratory meal or a special occasion in the capital of Japan could justify dining here if the money does not phase you. However, I don’t think the average person would leave thinking this must be the best restaurant in Asia if they weren’t aware of the fact walking in. As they walk out with significantly lighter pockets than before, they might wonder, is there really nothing better out there? In the most populated continent on Earth? With some of the richest and most celebrated culinary traditions? My verdict is that it would be difficult to find better quality food, but I’m certain you could find a more exciting and memorable experience.
To understand the rankings of The 50 Best better I will have to eat at a few other high ranking restaurants on the list… Stay tuned for Bangkok…
Foies Gras Slow Poached with Chicken Leg
Crispy Skin Amadai from Yamaguchi With Shin Tama Negi and Sake-Kasu
