Higuchi is very good. I hold his Unagi in particularly high esteem but really everything is good, and the renovated space is quite nice. I believe he only takes reservations one month ahead.

Well, we arrived at 5:45pm and easily managed standing room at one of the barrels. (meaning we were the second couple in line :) ).

Thanks for the recommendations anyway, I was being intentionally vague because I didn't really want to lock anyone in with arbitrary constraints.

This is all true. But if someone eats in a few places once and doesn't speak the language then it's a very strong statement to make :)

Maybe after eating in Japan for a few years and getting to speak Japanese well enough to interact with restaurants the same way I can interact with the team at L'Ambroisie I would be in a position to judge if there's anything to the statement other than the fact both are excellent restaurants, or maybe Vedat will read this and tell us what he meant.

He's gotten me into some very hard to book places before and is well motivated to succeed.

But it's hard not to complain about this type of practice. Can you imagine a restaurant that is open to the public in the US or Europe that does not take foreigners? These places are not private clubs.

I was quoting the answer my very powerful concierge got. ;)

It is crazy. I think when there's a cancellation they offer it to regulars, and also many regulars book their next meal every time they dine, so...

By the way, I'm compiling a list of places that explicitly do not accept reservations from unwashed foreigners like us. Of the very top tables:

Takaji Yokotobuki - The restaurant will not accept a booking for foreigner.
Morikawa - The restaurant will not accept a booking for foreigner.
Kyo Aji - Does not accept reservations from foreigners.

I've had the same experience with them even 2 months in advance.

It does seem a bit odd. So far there are only a few posts about Ginza Okuda on tabelog, not terribly positive but a couple are just complaining about prices, so I don't know if they're to be taken seriously.

Is it the case that Okuda-san owns his new place but not Koju?

Thanks, this is useful! What about Van Horne? saw a good review Voir but I don't know how reliable that is.

There's practically no impact. A few products specifically from Fukushima are not available but fortunately there's Hokkaido, Kyushu, Ibaraki... not to mention the sea.

The only fresh product that's conspicuously missing from Tokyo restaurants right now is tourists.

Has anyone tried Kabuto? it's number one on tabelog ahead of Obana so I assume it's at least very popular, but is it also better? (we've been to Nodaiwa and it was fine but nothing to write home about)

True, they are quite good, but they're about the only ones that seem to offer value in line with European or US wines.

Very much so. You can get lucky or not with how you order, but at yaxche you're guaranteed sub street cart food for tourist trap prices

That would be Cocteleria El Pirata, a great local place. Having eaten many times at both, I think the quality is better at Aguachiles but they don't have whole fish.

La Borrega isn't new - it's been there for at least five years, probably longer, although the owner keeps saying he's going to close as business is slow and getting slower. It just doesn't get any tourist press because it's on the other side of the highway, but still if you go for a weekend lunch you'll see it packed with Mexicans feasting on kilos of barbacoa and on the "consomme" from the pit.

(1) yes
(2) yes
(3) si.
(the other 3) there's nice stuff in the low 100s at Gagnaire, and really really good stuff for 240 (as in good 1er cru and some grand cru burgundy that gets 93-95 in the guides)
(4) can't help you there
(5) it's certainly more touristy, but it's more that the reviews have moved on to the latest and greatest than the place changing.

I think it changed ownership quite recently, I'm not sure if that's good or bad, but it was definitely "old school" in every sense of the way.

I'd recommend the one with the bathtub in the middle as well, and if not that then the one with the loft, as souphie suggested. Don't forget that some people may be staying for several nights (it's vacation time after all) so it'll be hard for Arnaud to guarantee you a specific room. I'd propose just not to worry about it too much.

Did I mention you shouldn't forget your GPS? :)

They only have five rooms, so I'd book as soon as your travel plans are set.

Don't forget your GPS.

We got very nice pruneaux, sausages from "cul noir" pigs (not a variety I've heard of before, but the product looks amazing) from Ferme de La Combe. Also some nut oil and Nyons olive oil. I think the market was very unlucky with the cold and snow but I saw some of the vendors also had stands in the extreme sensory overload at Espace Champerret, so it wasn't a total loss for them.

One more thing - you can mail order from Arnabar - shipping is 13 Euros but first time shoppers get 10 Euros off. Hands down the best foie I've ever eaten.