Lauderdale

Lauderdale is as heavily styled as a Ralph Lauren fashion shoot. It's designed to evoke a vaguely American, vaguely European ideal of both comfort and relaxed affluence, as befits such a prime site in Roppongi Hills. As such it looks good, with an outdoor terrace that’s a draw in warm weather (despite the view of a concrete and asphalt expressway, not the Florida coastline). The service on our visit was a bit more hit-and-miss, with long waits for orders to be completed and the table to be cleared. But the dishes are a good read, especially for breakfast (Mon-Fri) and brunch (Sat, Sun), with many of the same dishes appearing on both menus. Soufflés are usually served as dessert in the West, but individual portions are equally suitable for breakfast, with flavourings such as banana pepper (¥1,600 – in reality not very peppery) or ‘orange bergamot tea’. The eggs benedict – a bit of a trend in recent years – is only served at weekends, with ¥1,800 getting you a couple of guilty pleasures that are wobblier than a Miami Beach volleyball match. However our side dishes of brittle french fries and soggy marinated mushrooms and beans were so dull we barely touched them. Lauderdale is a pleasant spot to hang out, but it needs to up its game a little if it's also to become a significant culinary destination.