La Bombance @ Nishi-Azabu near Roppongi Tokyo • Kaiseki by Makoto Okamoto

Memorable kaiseki dinner at La Bombance with owner-chef Makoto Okamoto.

Yeah... when I was told that we were going to La Bombance for dinner, my first reaction was it sounds French. Indeed, La Bombance means abundance or feast in French.

What's the French connection here?

Because La Bombance is a Michelin starred restaurant? Yes......

But, the real reason is chef Makoto Okamoto who is from Nagoaka City, Niigata opened “La Bombance” in 2004 after honing his skills in some of the best Japanese (e.g. Kioicho Fukudaya) and French (at New Hankyu Hotel) restaurants in Tokyo.

In 2004, there was a boom of Japanese restaurant openings in Tokyo. Okamoto-san felt that if he named his restaurant "Okamoto" it would just be a drop in the ocean of Japanese restaurants in Tokyo. Then, he remembered a dish named La Bombance when he was with New Hankyu Hotel, and voila! La Bambance restaurant was born 😄

Take a taxi here or use Google map diligently as the entrance is not clearly visible at street level. Many big city Japanese restaurants are like that, some below ground (like La Bombance), many at upper levels, not always at street level.

The main dining area has 9 metre long bar / counter type seating, semi enclosed booth seats, and also a few private rooms.

The set menu was in Japanese which I could Google translate but written in riddle form 😂 alamak 🤣

La Bombance serves avant-garde New Japanese Cuisine in Kaiseki 会席料理 or Japanese traditional multi-course dinner style (i.e. banquet). Banquet type kaiseki is considered Japan's haute cuisine (high cooking).

[Note: There is another form of kaiseki 懐石料理 also known as cha kaiseki which is a light meal served before the tea ceremony. The purpose is to not start drinking tea on an empty stomach.]

Banquet type kaiseki at La Bombance is served prix fixe i.e. pre-determined menu but expect the unexpected. La Bombance's menu changes every month to make the best of local seasonal ingredients. The dishes are not limited to Japanese cuisine but also foreign inspired, reflecting chef Okamoto-san's Japanese and French expertise.

(Note: As a consideration for my dining companions, these photos were taken with ambient light without any additional lighting.)

A crisp crunchy rice cracker ball filled with salted herring roe.

While we chewed on the savoury sweet fried rice ball, our first bottle of locally produced wine from Japanese vineyards flowed.

In its most basic form kaiseki comprises three sides, a soup and rice.

Every item was delicately made and beautifully exquisite. Kaiseki uses ingredients in season when it taste the best.

From the outset, chef Okamoto-san wanted La Bombance to be a place for New Japanese Cuisine, that combines washoku (traditional Japanese cuisine) with traditions from overseas (e.g. French, Italian, Chinese).

To me, La Bombance's kaiseki is like "new wine in old bottles", enjoying novel experiences along with the charm of tradition.

Kaiseki will feature a nimono wan, a soupy simmered dish. We had a fish soup.

Foie gras in chawanmushi.

Of course, there will be foie gras at La Bombance. Quintessentially French and one of chef Okamoto-san's favourite ingredients.

Uber umami in rich goose liver with eggs, what an outstanding fusion!

Yakimono or a grilled dish is often part of a kaiseki menu.

We had grilled wagyu dressed with truffle.

So soft tender, juicy, sweet beefy.

Shark fin.

Claypot rice.

Chef Makoto Okamoto's hometown Nagoaka is famed for its Fireworks Festival held in August annually.

Chef Makoto Okamoto is a multi-talented person. The restaurant is adorned with beautiful pieces of art personally created by Okamoto-san.

The warm hospitality and deliciously exquisite cuisine left a deep impression and lasting pleasant memories of our evening at La Bombance.

La Bombance philosophy of "Think of others, and bring them joy" promises to bring satisfaction to customers through the unification of food and customer service.

This was indeed our experience this evening.

My friends know that I am a little crazy. After dinner, I chose to walk to the Tokyo Tower so that I can enjoy the night of Roppongi and get a night view like this on a January night at low single digit °C temperature.

By the time I reached the base of Tokyo Tower, it was already past midnight, and the night lights were turned off. Not an issue, as I can see Tokyo Tower, in another light, basking in the reflection of the lights of bustling Tokyo below.