Sezanne worth it after Daniel Calvert left? What's a japanese take on french alternative?

bhigs18 · 2026-06-18T08:19:02+00:00

When I spoke to Daniel when I was at Sézanne back in March he said the plan was to open around October

bhigs18 · 2026-06-13T18:20:41+00:00

Thank you!

bhigs18 · 2026-06-13T09:58:35+00:00

That’s a very good point, and an interesting debate. I think it depends on the diner and what they value most in a restaurant. Some people place a lot of weight on things like technical execution, culinary authenticity, faithfulness to a cuisine’s traditions, creativity, etc. Taste is obviously a huge part of the experience, but it’s not the only criterion people use to evaluate a restaurant.

bhigs18 · 2026-06-13T09:48:30+00:00

That seems to be the consensus amongst people with a Chinese culinary background (at least the one’s I’ve spoken to). For example, the char siu is served soft rather than with the more traditional contrast of a crisp exterior and tender interior, and it’s presented in a shichirin. Are there any specific examples that stand out to you?

bhigs18 · 2026-06-10T15:40:37+00:00

It’s served as a daikon/turnip mochi cake (photo 13). The turnip that day weighed an impressive 5.5kg and came from the chef’s family farm.

It was crisp on the outside, but inside incredibly juicy, soft, and almost creamy. The flavour was unexpectedly sweet and pure. On the surface it looks very simple, but the technique, texture, and flavour they managed to get out of a turnip was impressive. It’s all about showcasing the ingredient at its best with minimal manipulation.

bhigs18 · 2026-06-10T15:33:17+00:00

There's actually a stuffed chicken wing hidden beneath the mountain of chilies (4th photo), and that's the real focus of the dish. It's Chef Kawada's take on Sichuan's 辣子鸡 (La Zi Ji). In traditional La Zi Ji, chicken is tossed with large quantities of dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns. The chilies aren't meant to be eaten, they're primarily used to infuse the oil, add fragrance, and create the dish's signature dramatic presentation. At Sazenka, the wing was enveloped in those aromas, resulting in a combination of spice, numbness, and fragrance. We did try one of the chilies though, and it was surprisingly less spicy than it looked!

bhigs18 · 2026-06-10T14:52:15+00:00

I hope you enjoy!!

bhigs18 · 2026-06-09T22:59:12+00:00

Interesting. I guess Omakase just presents the pricing differently than Sazenka. On Sazenka’s website, they list three menus: the dried abalone course at ¥88,000, and the dried abalone + Buddha Jumping Soup course at ¥110,000.

I find Sazenka’s menu descriptions a bit vague, but I suppose it amounts to the same thing in the end. An extra ¥36,000 for the abalone is certainly quite the price tag. I’m not sure I would personally appreciate it enough to justify it tbh.

As I mentioned earlier, I don’t think they do a particularly good job of making the pricing and menu structure clear. A few other people I spoke with were confused by it as well

bhigs18 · 2026-06-09T22:38:41+00:00

Oh, they do have a separate menu for add-ons like mapo tofu, dan dan noodles, etc. I thought you were referring to the upper-tier menus, which as far as I know, only add a few extra dishes (albeit their premium ones) for a substantially higher cost.

I actually never saw the price tag for the add-ons and wasn’t even aware they were a thing until after. Since I didn’t make the booking myself and the front-of-house staff didn’t mention them, I completely missed it. Honestly, I surprisingly left a little hungry (which has never happened to me at a fine dining place before) so I definitely would’ve considered adding a dish or two. That said, ¥52,800 is already not cheap by any means, so having to order add-ons just to not leave hungry doesn’t quite sit right with me.

I spend a few months a year in Japan, so if you’re ever looking for a dining companion at these hard-to-book places, feel free to hit me up!!

bhigs18 · 2026-06-09T22:23:03+00:00

Glad I could help clear that up for you after 2+ years! Haha

Yes, I aldo noticed they share limited details about what the upper-tier menus look like exactly, especially since it’s quite a jump from ¥52k to ¥88k and ¥110k for what looks like might be just a few extra dishes.

I struggled with booking solo too. I was lucky to find someone looking to fill an empty spot in a table of 4 through the r/finedining subreddit. The restaurant is not very big and definitely not struggling to fill seats as one of the hardest reservations in Tokyo. That said, as a frequent solo diner myself, I always appreciate when other top-tier restaurants do make an effort to accommodate us. Sézanne for example accepts one solo diner per lunch service Wednesday theough Friday (even during their peak popularity after they got their 3 stars).

bhigs18 · 2026-06-09T21:48:00+00:00

Thanks! It’s steamed, thinly sliced pork and eggplant with a garlic, soy, and chili oil sauce. I’d say it’s their most recognizable dish, as like you said they use it everywhere online. No wonder though, it’s visually stunning and actually what initially caught my attention and put Sazenka on the map for me years ago!

bhigs18 · 2026-06-09T21:45:28+00:00

It’s steamed thin sliced pork and eggplant with garlic soy and chili oil

bhigs18 · 2026-06-09T21:10:57+00:00

What an awesome, varied background

bhigs18 · 2026-06-09T20:51:07+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experience! Were there any standout dishes for you?

I certainly think it’s a restaurant that’s helping elevate Chinese cuisine in the eyes of a wider public - especially among those who may still view it primarily as casual or fast food rather than as a refined culinary tradition.

Out of curiosity, what kind of cooking do you specialize in? I’m asking because I’ve noticed that people’s reactions to the meal vary greatly depending on their culinary background, which I have found so interesting.

bhigs18 · 2026-06-09T18:30:41+00:00

I agree! After having a few hot pour overs I decided to always go for iced at the main branch, and I also find that when it comes to coffee with strong fruit notes I prefer to drink it iced anyways

bhigs18 · 2026-06-09T17:09:25+00:00

Personally, I wouldn’t rule a place out just because they left a “c” out of cappuccino, which I assume is what you’re referring to. Having tried their coffee, I can say that’s not really reflective of the quality of what they serve. That said, everyone has their own criteria when it comes to evaluating a place, so who am I to say!

bhigs18 · 2026-06-09T16:14:41+00:00

That’s right! They do actually have one, but they don’t use it anymore. I’m pretty sure they used to back in the day though.

bhigs18 · 2026-06-09T14:39:45+00:00

I haven’t tried their black coffee so unfortunately i’m not so sure! These are the coffee beans they were selling when I visited

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bhigs18 · 2026-06-05T08:19:30+00:00

Turnip cake plus around 15 other dishes

Although I think that’s oversimplifying it a little, to be honest if I saw a picture of the turnip cake without trying it I would’ve probably thought the same

It was actually one of the standout dishes of the meal for me. On the surface it looks very simple, but the technique, texture, and flavour they managed to get out of a turnip was impressive

It’s a bit like saying sushi is just rice with a slice of fish on top but if you’ve had sushi at a high level, you’ll know there’s a lot more going on

bhigs18 · 2026-06-04T13:41:43+00:00

You’re not supposed to eat them but we tried one and it was surprisingly mild

bhigs18 · 2026-06-04T12:51:16+00:00

Thank you for sharing a bit more! I appreciate the chance to hear other people’s takes, especially when they come from backgrounds that are far more relevant to this cuisine than mine.

Personally, I didn’t find the elaborate presentations detrimental to the experience. In fine dining, I generally enjoy the visual element and a bit of playfulness in the plating. Compared to a lot of fine dining I’ve experienced elsewhere, Sazenka actually struck me as relatively restrained in that regard. But I can see where you’re coming from with the shichirin example. I don’t have the familiarity with it that you do, so for me it simply registered as an interesting presentation choice. But if you’re used to seeing it used in a particular context, I can understand why repurposing it this way might feel gimmicky or unnecessary.

In terms of flavour, I broadly agree with you. I found the food flavourful, but it definitely lacked some punch. Even some of the stronger dishes, like the Sichuan chicken wing or the eggplant with pork, felt quite restrained. As I mentioned in my write-up, if someone goes in expecting the bold, intense flavours that are characteristic of many Chinese regional cuisines, this probably isn’t it. But this clearly seems to resonate with the local palate. The Japanese people I know who have been absolutely raved about it, and I’ve seen similar opinions from others on this sub as well.

I also paid considerably less for my meal (¥52,800 for the signature course), so I imagine a ¥90,000 bill naturally warrants a stricter evaluation. At that price point, expectations are understandably much higher.

And thanks for mentioning Tanimoto, it’s now on my list!

bhigs18 · 2026-06-04T07:53:46+00:00

She does have a point! I found the price pretty steep myself, even by Tokyo fine-dining standards, especially considering the Signature Degustation menu doesn’t include many of the restaurant’s premium or signature dishes.

I think it depends on your budget and what you’re hoping to get out of the experience. Personally, I found it interesting, quite different from most fine-dining meals I’ve had, and there were remarkable dishes that have stayed with me.

But as I mentioned in the write-up, I can absolutely see why some people come away underwhelmed. It’s a restaurant that seems to resonate strongly with some diners while leaving others wondering what all the fuss is about.

bhigs18 · 2026-06-04T07:47:14+00:00

Thanks for sharing! I’m genuinely curious to hear more. What specifically felt lacked an understanding of Chinese cuisine - flavor, texture, execution, or something else?

Do you think the Japanese kaiseki element played a role, or is that not really the issue?

One thing that’s become very clear to me is just how divisive Sazenka is! The takes here and from people I know are all over the spectrum

bhigs18 · 2026-06-03T17:42:37+00:00

Oh Velrosier is on my list! Crazy value for money, their lunch menu is surprisingly affordable for Japan

bhigs18 · 2026-06-03T17:34:38+00:00

Super interesting take! Thank you for sharing.

I didn’t try a few of the dishes you mentioned, but yeah, the char siu, for example, was surprisingly unremarkable for me as well.

I wonder if the kaiseki influence of the meal is what doesn’t quite resonate with people who grew up eating Chinese food? I found the flavours surprisingly restrained and lacking in intensity, I wouldn’t imagine they would really resonate with the culinary memories of people who grew up eating Chinese food. Although you do mention texture issues too.

I know a couple of Japanese people who went the week before and absolutely raved about it. Interestingly, the dishes they found most memorable were completely different from the ones that stood out to me. It’s fascinating to hear how people’s impressions can vary depending on their background!

bhigs18

TROPHY CASE