Asterix, Akasaka アステリックス 赤坂

In the heart of black limousine territory you'll find a little subterranean gem of a French restaurant called Asterix. The lunch sets are very reasonably priced and quite generous. On one visit I chose the 2000 yen lunch set and had a lovely smoked salmon on crepe for entree, sirloin steak with pepper sauce for the main, followed by a tasting selection of the house tarts. The delicious fresh bread is also worthy of a special mention, although it does seem to be rationed out.

On a recent visit I sampled the fish mousse (pictured), which reminded me of a tasty fish quenelle that I once ate in Lyon. The service is brisk and businesslike, the atmospheric highlight being the young waiter who insisted in speaking to us completely in French. On other occasions you get the no-nonsense Japanese lady. I highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a hearty French bistro style lunch in Akasaka. Just be sure to arrive before 12pm or you may not get a table. And if you want to linger past 2.30, you will be thrown out unceremoniously! Basically their food is so good and such excellent value that they know there are plenty more where YOU came from. Consider yourself lucky.

http://gourmet.livedoor.com/restaurant/10614/
Address: 6-3-16 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-5561-0980