L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon

Robuchon now has his ‘casual’ (a relative term, here) counter-style Atelier restaurants on three continents, and the Tokyo operation is a perfect match with upmarket Roppongi Hills. You sit at the plush counter looking in at the open kitchen, ordering one or two dishes at a time as if it were a sushi counter or a tapas bar (the Spanish influence is also strong in the cuisine). Set dinners start from ¥8,400. Reservations are accepted, but only for the first sitting at 6pm; after that, it’s first come, first served.