Conti et Mer - Great Tokyo Sandwiches

If you're longing for some great sandwiches in Tokyo, try Conti et Mer, who have a good range of "French-style", take-out sandwich boxes and sweets, and party platters. Conti et Mer has three shops, in Jingu-gaien, Shirokane and Ginza, covering most of Tokyo for delivery. Their minimum order is JPY 2000 within their delivery areas, and more for areas outside that.

Sandwiches include Ham and Gruyere Cheese, Foie Gras and Prosciutto, Milano Salami and Cheese, Turkey, Grilled Herb Chicken, Mozzarella and Tomato, Baked Ham and Egg, Ham and Brie Cheese, Pate de Campagne, Prosciutte and Mozzarella, Tuna and Herb Salad, Beef Pastrami, Brie and Vegetable, Terrine Provancale, and Grilled Vegetable.

A "Sandwich Box" set with baguette sandwich, hashed potatoes and a sweet (usually apple pie) costs about JPY 1000 to 1500, or you can get your sandwich in the "Seigle Box" which has the sandwich on rye bread.

These sandwiches might not be exactly authentic French, but they taste great to me. Hope you enjoy them sometime.

"Brasserie Bec" in Yoyogi Uehara

If you like French food but would like it at a more reasonable price than usual in Tokyo, give Brasserie Bec in Yoyogi-Uehara near Shinjuku, Tokyo a try. A project colleague and I went there last night (a Tuesday), and had an excellent meal, with a good French red. Brasserie Bec's impossible to miss, being right in front of the north exit of Yoyogi Uehara station on the Odakyu line, running from points north and south, and the Chiyoda subway line. We were walking from Yoyogi Hachiman, got a little lost, and the cook came out to the street to help us find it after I called in my SOS!

The atmosphere of Brasserie Bec is "relaxed French" I would say. It was late, around 10pm, when we got there, but we got ourselves started with a 5000 yen French red wine from their selection of 80 reds (wide-ranging; go see for yourself!), which seems pretty extensive for a small-ish place like this. The prices of wines were quite reasonable and ranging from 3000-ish to 10000-ish, if I remember correctly.

We each ordered the 4500 yen "four plate course" from the Japanese and French menu. First came a fresh bread basket, with liver pate. It was fabulous. Then, our entrees (appetizers for the Americans in the room) were salad Nicoise and ratatouille, both warm, aromatic and wonderful. A tasty potato soup followed, and after that were our main courses grilled lamb and grilled pork, each with generous portions of vegetables. My lamb was on cous-cous, which combined with the lamb's natural jus to make a nice background to the dish. These mains were both outstanding, we thought; grilled just right. Dessert was a choice between many, but I had gateau chocolat, my friend the marinated strawberries with sherbet.

When we finished it was after midnight, we were the last guests to leave, and we left really satisfied. Brasserie Bec is not pretentious at all, but hearty, good food in a relaxed atmosphere. Reservations: 03-3468-8773.