The year is 1900. Japanese businessman and pharmacist Arinobu
Fukuhara is in New York, looking for ideas he can bring back to Japan. What he finds is groundbreaking. It’s ice cream soda. The refreshing treat that combined the creamy
goodness of ice cream with the fizziness of soda. In early 20th century, they were all the rage in the US and shops
were popping up from coast to coast. Especially in pharmacies. When Fukuhara sees this, he gets goosebumps. He buys a soda fountain, takes it back to
Japan, and starts serving ice cream sodas at his
pharmacy in Ginza. Word gets out, and people come from all over
the country to try this amazing new treat. It’s a home run. And it gives Fukuhara an idea. To focus on a second area of business. Besides health and beauty, the company will branch into food and drink. The result is a success story that would later become a household name around
the world. What company is that? You guys might not know it, but ask any woman
and I bet she does. It’s the beauty brand Shisheido. By the late 60’s, the company’s food and drink division Shiseido
Parlour had branched into fine dining. And in 1973, they open a restaurant that helps
introduce the country to French cuisine. And who would have guessed? It’s our restaurant for today. L’Osier. We are here in the Tokyo neighborhood of Ginza. Known as the upmarket shopping, dining and
entertainment district, Ginza is crawling with boutiques, art galleries
and night clubs. One square meter of land in Ginza is worth over four point five million yen, or
twenty seven thousand Euro, making it some of the most expensive real
estate in the country. We find our way over to the famous Shiseido
building. The site where Fukuhara started his pharmacy
and his brand. A hundred years later it would become the
5th largest in the world and Japan’s biggest cosmetics company. It’s nice to have big landmark that’s
easy to find, because our restaurant is right next door. Because it all started with a drink, the ice
cream soda, it’s only fitting that today, we focus this
episode on drinks too. The entrance is striking, and the interior
is gorgeous. It’s big and bright with flourishes of Art
Deco. The table setting showcases two of France’s
greatest contributions to fine dining. The custom plates are handmade by Limoges
porcelain maker Haviland. And the cutlery is Puiforcat, the same silversmith they use for official
state dinners in Paris. But what really impresses me is the wine menu. They have a ton of wine, and they are not
messing around. A lot of these labels are difficult to find. What’s even better is that many are available
by the glass. I’m excited to try some of the world’s
top selections. And it gives me an idea. To have a mini wine tasting. Where I can put two wines head-to-head. And taste the differences. Starting with champagne, I choose a glass of Charles Heidseck Blanc
des Millenaires 2007 and one of Jacques Sellosse Initial. Both are 100% chardonnay from the Cote de
Blancs region. This Charles Heidseck is a vintage champagne. That means the grapes are all from the same
year of 2007. The Jacques Sellose is not a vintage champagne. It’s a combination of three special vintages. Did you know that most champagnes are like
discreet ladies that will not tell you how old they are? That’s because they can’t. Most champagnes are a blend of wines
from different years. In comparison I’d say the 2007 Blanc de
Millenaires is sharper and more dynamic. I would say the Jacques Selosse Initial is a
bit like a Burgundy wine, but with bubbles. It’s hard to compare because both champagne houses
have a different approach and unique process. For different reasons, I love both of them. A traditional French bread service is next,
followed by our first dish. A tribute to the humble corn. Served here in three preparations. A cold veloute soup, an even colder ice cream
and a freshly grillled popcorn. It’s perfect amounts of creaminess and freshness. I really enjoyed and I found it
playful the sweetness of this dish. This is what I expect from a 3 Michelin star
French restaurant. An exciting and memorable first course. It’s part of a six course lunch menu which
goes for 200 euro. Meet the sommelier, Ryoga Nakamura. His understanding of wine is exceptional for
such a young guy. Everything makes sense when I learn he has
a Masters in Wine Making and he placed third at the All-Japan
Best Sommelier Competition last summer. I love to see drive and dedication so early
in one’s career. Time for some new wines. With so many all-stars by the glass, I feel
like a kid at Christmas. It’s a tough one, but in the end I choose
two heavyweights. On the right, from Puligny-Montrachet It's Domaine Leflaive with a 2018 Premier Cru On the left, a one year
younger is Domaine Faivelley From Batard Montrachet with a 2017 Grand Cru. When I could finally afford better Burgundy
wines, I often chose Bâtard-Montrachet. It’s an appellation in Burgundy that produces what many consider to be one of the greatest dry white wine in the world. The names in the area are said to come from
medieval folklore. Legend has it that in the Middle Ages, Lord
Montrachet owned some of the best vineyards in Burgundy. But we was not good a staying faithful to
his wife. He had an affair that bore a son, but kept
it quiet. Not long after, his first-born son was killed
in battle. Without an heir, the Lord
accepted his illegitimate son into the family, and brought him to live at the Montrachet estate. When the Duke of Burgundy heard about this, he named Lord Montrachet’s vineyards
so this story would not be forgotten. And that’s why today the Montrachet appellation
has the following names: Le Montrachet after the Lord himself, Chevalier Montrachet after
the son killed in battle, and Le Batard Montrachet, after the bastard son. In front of me are wines from Puligny Montrachet
and Batard Montrachet. I prefer the Batard Montrachet But at the end of the day, both of these wines
were fantastic and went nicely with the next course. It’s blue lobster with stewed chanterelles, with stuffed zucchini flowers and
a fresh tomato and basil sauce. There is no compromise regarding
the quality of the ingredients. For the lunch menu they bigger portions but
fewer courses than for dinner. Big portions are harder present nicely and
find the balance between beauty and function. The flavors are concentrated and super dynamic
but also nicely balanced. For a moment, I even forgot that I am in Japan; I could have just as well been in France. We have tasted champagne and chardonnay, now it’s time for some reds. For that, we are going to the top. Just mentioning the name gets me excited. Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, or DRC. They produce some of the
world's most expensive wines. The history goes back to the 13th century. And today, they are easily
one of the most prestigious and celebrated wine producers in the world. Heres why. The production of wine at DRC is very limited,
which is one reason for its high prices. Everything is centered around one vineyard
where the company gets its name. La Rominee Conti. This pinot noir grand cru is only 1.8 hectares
in size but it’s DRC’s most important asset. On average, grapes grown here go on to become some of the most expensive wines in the world. DRC has 7 other vineyards in the area that
also make outstanding wine. All of them are grand cru. And that’s a claim that no other wine maker
in Burgundy can make. Let’s take a closer look at these two wines
from DRC. Both are pinot noir, aged in oak, from 2013. They both come from vineyards alongside La
Romanee-Conti, so they are ultra premium. One from Richebourg the other Romanee Saint
Vivant. The prices are in the same ballpark. You can pick these up between 3 and 4 thousand
Euro per bottle. Here at L’Osier the price
per half a glass is around 300 euro each. The fact that they have this by the glass
is unbelievable. I’ve never seen a restaurant that serves
Romanée-Conti by the glass, let alone two from the same vintage. So this was an incredible experience for me. There was a quite a difference between the
two wines. The Richebourg is a more full-bodied and muscular
style of pinot noir while the Romanee Saint Vivant
is very light and aromatic. it was wonderful to feel how the
wine blossomed and opened up. It was almost magical. I had to be careful to save some for our main
course. Which is deer. We have a roasted fillet and a thigh treated
like a blood sausage. With blackberry chutney and a thin leaf of
tangy red beetroot. Also a carrot rosette with black fruffle,
bay verbena mousseline and wild pepper sauce. Words can not do this dish justice. To say Absolutely incredible only scratches
the surface. Next we go on a journey through the land of
cheese. With a huge selection of French imports. This is not a standard part of the menu and
has an extra cost of 40 euro. And then, who stops by, but head chef Olivier
Chiagnon. Who is celebrating his 10th anniversary here
at L’Osier. He comes from renowned restaurants such as
Taillevent and Pierre Gagnaire in Paris. He came here in 2013 and in two years earned
two Michelin stars, with the third in 2019. He was also Gault et Millau Chef of the Year
in 2017. Dessert is next. First is apricot and lavender. and the second is all peaches From the foam to the ice cream The sommelier is not finished with me. He surprises me with a glass of thirty year
old Chateau d’Yquem on the house. It’s a such a nice way to enjoy the last
few bites from the sweets trolley. The total for today is just
over 1400 Euro for two. What can I say about L’Osier. It’s an amazing French
restaurant outside of France, with best in class quality ingredients. A culinary artist in the kitchen. An elegant and educated service team. and a sommelier who hit a
grand slam with a wine tasting that I am not gonna forget any time soon. Sometimes less is more. In this case, each and every course was memorable. All thanks to the artist in the kitchen. Congratulations on 50 years in business. If Shiseido founder Arinobu Fukuhara were
here today, I’m sure he would have a huge smile. Knowing that none of this might have happened, If it wasn’t for a trip to New York and
an ice cream soda. and that does it for this episode. Thank you for joining me. If you like this episode, hit subscribe. See you next time.
