Established in 2010, French bistro Maison Cinqante Cinq is an institution in Yoyogi Uehara, beloved for its warm, wood-heavy interior and homely dishes. In November 2022 however, it relocated to a new venue next to Yoyogi Uehara Station, but maintained its signature rustic interior complete with a wooden counter, tiled floors and shelves filled with wine bottles.
A big reason for Maison Cinquante Cinq’s longevity lies in its affordable menu. The ¥4,000 lunch course (available weekdays as well as weekends) serves up five dishes, including a fancy corn soup with sea grapes and sherry vinegar cream, plus house-made sourdough bread on the side. You’ll also get a duck confit with eggplant spring roll as well as a sumptuous appetiser platter consisting of orange and cumin carrot salad, stracciatella cheese, house-made ham, wild rice and lettuce genovese with whelk tartar, colinky squash salad with praline vinaigrette and tomato liver paste, and mushroom with seaweed pickles.
For dessert, you’ll be having a nougat glace, which looks like a deconstructed ice cream with dried fruit, nuts and cookie crumbles. We recommend pairing your meal with a glass of natural wine (from ¥1,000) or premium Australian grape juice.
There’s also a five-course meal for dinner, priced at ¥6,000, alongside an a la carte menu featuring dishes that are perfect for sharing. Highlights include skipjack tuna with beets and blackberry (¥2,200), spear squid with red peppers and black rice (¥2,200), veal with salsa verde (¥2,300), and hanging tender steak (¥3,500).