Following up on my JT column last Friday, a few more images culled from several visits for the Menu Leger lunch at the excellent — though idiosyncratically spelled — Monna Lisa.
The entrance, from the top-floor lobby of the Maru Biru…
The corner tables: probably the best in the house, if not the entire building...
The welcome bubbly (Taittinger)…
The champagne view…
The menu, complete with doodle penned by chef Toru Kawano...
One of the starters: terrine of patate douce (sweet potato) and shrimp, chestnut with Madras curry...
...served on glass plates double-layered with autumn leaves sandwiched in between as both decoration and seasonal accent.
Shiitake cap topped with autumn vegetables, with baigai clams "comme en Bourgogne"
Marinated Hokkaido sanma (saury) with ginger, on cubes of grilled eggplant. Brilliant in every sense...
Hinamori pork sausage with confit of onions, small inca no mezame potatoes, mushrooms, sauce Robert...
The dessert plate. Kawano knows who his clientele is: this was intended to be shared between two. And that kawaii little snowman — actually a whole grape, with a big blob of cream for the head — was really good!
And the lady who's always half smiling — the lady who inspired it all for Kawano…
