Nakatani

Thirty-five years ago, Yukio Mishima's publisher often took me to a restaurant in Ginza. It was frequented by men of letters who sat at the counter discussing literature. I don't know if it still exists today.

The Nakatani restaurant, located in the seventh arrondissement of Paris, resembles it in its appearance. Despite the time that has passed and the distance, I feel as if I am returning to the past. The chef is Japanese, the dishes are from Karatsu in Saga, but the food is definitely French. Although no Japanese ingredients are used, there is an aftertaste of Japan. The flavours are unique. The French culinary tradition is present, but it is enhanced by a new palette of flavours. While the Franco-Japanese friendship goes back more than a century, the Japanese cooks of the French gastronomy have nothing to envy to their French colleagues. 

If I think back 35 years to this restaurant in Ginza, it is perhaps because of the nostalgia that emanates from the dishes concocted by the chef and owner of Nakatani. I recently learned that he has been awarded a Michelin star, but I don't care about that. It's not the star that seduces me but the flavours that come through. The meat is of high quality and is sufficient on its own, it does not need any embellishment such as a thick sauce. You can feel the respect towards living beings and it is this sincerity, this Japanese courtesy, that I appreciate here.
If Mishima were alive, I would have liked to show him this place and this cuisine.