Tokyo
CIRPAS
サーパス
Classic French served in a modern tempo. The atmosphere at CIRPAS is chic and friendly, as you sit along the long counter and watch the young head chef in the open kitchen. Trained under starred Dominique Bouchet, Takashi Yoshida curates an artistic menu using high-quality ingredients like Hokkaido sea urchin and Ossetra caviar. Also a YouTube sensation, he is among the new generations of chefs that wants to reinvent world-class fine-dining into something more people can enjoy.
CIRPAS sits on a quiet street in Shirokanedai, a posh residential neighborhood in central Tokyo. The dark exterior is simple and stylish, setting the tone of the ambiance inside. The dimmed dining room has a modern feel with a marbled counter that stretches around the open kitchen. From every seat, guests can enjoy watching the chef prepare the food.
Trained under starred Dominique Bouchet, Chef Takashi Yoshida’s culinary techniques are top-class. From appetizer to dessert, he uses high-quality ingredients to create exquisite combinations of colors, aromas and flavors. Served on traditional Arita pottery by Kamachi Toho, the food is presented like pieces of art.
Built on his love for the French tradition, he wants his restaurant to be enjoyable for his guests without all the formalities like elaborate table settings and lengthy menus. Naming the restaurant by combining the words, "circulation" and "passion,” he is committed to creating his own style of cuisine.
The impressive wine collection also augments the experience. The restaurant stocks close to 300 bottles including rare vintages. Enjoy the variety of pairings as they pour your drink into a stunning Lobmeyr glass.
CUISINE
Classic French served in a modern tempo
CIRPAS’s omakase menu is seasonal and changes every three month.
“The first three courses show the direction of our cuisine,” Yoshida says when asked about the menu.
The evening begins with a cup of consommé that has been carefully distilled over time. The deep flavor of the warm soup through your empty stomach.
Inspired by a traditional dish from Iwate Prefecture, the sea urchin appetizer looks like precious gems. A morsel of Hokkaido sea urchin and a buckwheat flour madeleine sit on top of a cup filled with hot pebbles. Adding layers of flavors, the sea urchin is draped with a sheet of jelly made of carrot extract and sprinkles of salted egg yolk. The difference in temperature between the freshly baked madeleine and the chilled sea urchin is intriguing to the tongue.
"Only in Japan can we serve sea urchins like this and keep the fresh quality. I decided to pair it with something quintessentially French like a madeleine.”
Named “The French,” the next dish is a work of art. Inside a circular flat plate sits a colorful tower of seasonal ingredients. Starting from the top are Ossetra Caviar, apple slices, hairy crab, consommé jelly, parsnip panna cotta and lemon thyme. On top of the breathtaking presentation, the flavors of the different flavors come together beautifully in your mouth.
Yoshida's outstanding techniques shine in the next dish. Grilled sea bream is moist and tender, bathing in a broth infused with fennel and fermented tomatoes and drizzled with saffron and garlic oil. The scales are first removed from the fish and dried separately before being added onto the fish. This technique ensures the scales stay crispy and crunchy. A piece of fennel confit is hidden under the fish.
The meat dishes are defined by their classic sauces. The soft and flavorful Ezo deer loin is dressed with poivrade, made with plenty of red wine and pig and deer blood. The red wine sauce is pungent but elegant, a reflection of the chef’s mastery in classic French cuisine.
INGREDIENTS
The ingredients used at CIRPAS come from Tokyo’s Toyosu market and also directly from local farmers. Yoshida visits different producers to learn about their produce and check their quality. He wants to understand their way of thinking and the story behind each product, which allows him to create incredible dishes using them.
CHEF
Takashi Yoshida
KNIVES
In addition to the exquisite collection of Arita pottery, Yoshida has spent years collecting his favorite knives. Inside the open kitchen, about 20 knives hang off the wall in a row, each designed for its own particular use. Many of them require regular maintenance. His favorite knife is made by Mitsuboshi Cutlery in Gifu Prefecture, an established blacksmith founded in 1896. “The grip is extremely easy to hold,” Yoshida explains. “The design is modern but the hilt reminds me of a Japanese sword. I really like it.''
Course
- The price includes our booking fee of ¥8,000
- The price includes our booking fee of ¥8,000