For GloriousMe and many chefs, Tokyo is a place of longing

Nigel Slater, a successful cookbook author for decades, spends a month in Japan every year. He calls it his sabbatical. A month in which he can forget everyday life and go on culinary excursions and lose himself in the beauty of Japanese gardens and architecture.

His enthusiasm has enticed us to include this life pattern in our own New Year’s wish list.

Almost all chefs (Nigel Slater prefers to call himself an author of cookbooks) love Japan and see Tokyo as culinary nirvana. No wonder, Tokyo has the most Michelin stars of any metropolis in the world in the Michelin Guide. But even the smallest bars and pubs are excellent places to eat.

The flight to Tokyo is not even undertaken in the same way, because detailed planning is, as so often in life, the path to success.

What is much easier and more spontaneous from Europe, however, is a train trip to Paris. You can also find excellent Japanese chefs there and have a wonderful time during the cold season.

Paris in spring is for American beginners who know Emily in Paris – Paris in winter is for connoisseurs.

Jardin de Tuileries, Paris © GloriousMe 2025

Japanese cuisine in Paris

GloriousMe spent the Christmas holidays in the French capital and found many things in Paris from the place of longing that is Tokyo, prepared there with a French accent.

We were impressed by Jean-Baptiste Meusnier’s Kodawari Ramen restaurant.

In addition to the familiar soup bases of chicken, pork or beef, the restaurant also offers a ramen soup whose broth is made from Breton sardines, the Bouillon Clair de Sardine de Bretagne. This dish alone has a large fan base.

In winter, the warm sake is also served with cinnamon and candied oranges. Both taste so delicious that you will only want to eat your ramen soups there from now on.

The Kodawari Ramen restaurant does not serve ramen in a hip concrete ambience with deafening music in the background or in a historicizing bistro atmosphere, but in an establishment that the owner acquired from a restaurant at the former Tsukiji fish market.

You can enjoy your meal among the typical fish crates, packaging and fishing nets. The original sound of the Tokyo fish market can be heard in the background. The restaurant is a total work of art where you can enjoy a delicious meal and dream of your next trip to Tokyo.

Restaurant Kodawari, Paris © GloriousMe 2025

Attention: overload of beauty and inspiration

When we are in Paris, a visit to the Pinault Collection in the Bourse de Commerce is a must. Monsieur Pinault’s collection is housed in the old stock exchange building, which was carefully converted by Japanese architect Tadao Ando to present the art collection with the usual Japanese perfection.

The building alone is an architectural masterpiece whose imposing beauty is impressive. The famous rotunda forms the heart of the museum. Covered with a glass and metal dome, the largest dome in the world in 1812, it is still impressive today.

The building was originally built for Catherine de Medici. It was later used as a grain hall and many years later as a trading exchange for goods such as grain. In addition to parts of the outstanding Pinault Collection, interesting exhibitions can always be experienced on five levels.

Tadao Ando has taken the principle of the rotunda, the circle, and made it the design principle of the museum building. The mix of historical wall paintings, modern art, historical wood paneling and the concrete that is so characteristic of Tadao Ando’s designs, as can also be found on the Japanese museum island of Naoshima, for example, will leave any art and architecture lover breathless.

For gleaning over the plate

The Halle aux grains restaurant run by father Michel and son Sébastian Bras is located on the fifth floor. As both are well known for their Michelin-starred restaurant Le Suquet in Laguiole, it is worth booking a table for lunch or dinner well in advance. While tucking into delicious French cuisine that will delight even the most discerning palate, it’s a great time to talk about the art and architecture you’ve just experienced.

The Paris-Tokyo axis

Compared to the mega-metropolis of Tokyo, Paris is a small place with art and culture at its center and comparatively short distances. In keeping with the Paris-Toyko axis, a visit to the Palais de Tokyo is a good idea. The art exhibited there and the performances are more experimental.

During our last visit, some of the windows were designed by Basel artist Renée Levi. We liked it so much that we hope this work of art will become a permanent installation.

The Eiffel Tower can be seen from the Palais de Tokyo and the Monsieur Blue restaurant there is something of a decorative gem.

Drink tea first

We hope we were able to inspire you to plan a trip to Paris during the cold season and/or to travel to Japan in the medium term. More about Tokyo, also a place of longing for GloriousMe, in one of our future articles.

Paris and Tokyo are best planned with a cup of tea: would you like a matcha tea? No? Then we suggest the Paris-Tokyo tea from the tea house Mariage Frères, which we love so much: Spring Darjeeling with Japanese yuzu.

If you’re not in Berlin, where Mariage Frères tea is sold in the KaDeWe department store, or if you’re visiting the Alsterhaus soon, you can buy the tea online. Other Mariage Frères tea stores can be found in Paris, Tokyo and Kyoto, naturellement.

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Cover picture: Bourse de Commerce, Paris © GloriousMe 2025