If you are interested in French cuisine, maybe you know the name of Paul Bocuse, the French "Grand chef" based in Lyon. In Japan, he produces 2 upscale restaurants (in Tokyo and in Kanazawa) and several brasserie style casual restaurants.
Among the brasseries across Japan, the one in Roppongi has unique location as it is named Brasserie Paul Bocuse "Le Musee" ("the museum" in French). The casual French restaurant is accommodated in a modern wave-shape building or The National Art Center Tokyo opened in 2007. The museum often hold special art exhibitions of Western or modern art, for example Impressionism theme. After watching works by great masters of arts, at the same place, you can enjoy another type of art called "cooking" by the French grand master. Great isn't it?
The restaurant is on the 3rd floor, while on the ground (1st in Japanese) floor it has exhibition rooms, information center and casual cafe like other museums.
The restaurant floor is "half-floating" on the top of a conical shape stage in the museum's 3-floor height welcome space surrounded by waving glass wall.
Some people might feel it expensive as meal provided at a national museum, while the offer especially on evening time is very reasonable as French course dinner at Paul Bocuse brand restaurant. In addition for dinner time, if you have a ticket for the museum's exhibition, you will get 10% discount from your check (even if it is already used of course) . So we rather recommend visit the restaurant for dinner than for lunch time when it is busy by many visitors.
For dinner course, it has choices for main dish, fish or meat, and 3 choices for desserts. Depending on exhibitions taken place at the time, it also offers special course inspired from the art exhibition. Not plenty of choices are available like ordinary restaurants but of course the quality and finess of meals are assured by Paul Bocuse brand.
For example, the dinner course I had
Starter - mousse of green pea
Main dish - quenelle (fish dumpling, specialty of Lyon) and gambas shrimp
Dessert - Gateau chocolate and sherbet
Wine is also provided at reasonable prices from Yen 500 for a glass
It's very kind to provide wine by smaller than a full bottle (1/3 and 2/3 carafe) sizes on the list. So we don't have to be drank in the museum...
The restaurant's last order time is later than the museum's exhibition close. So enjoy an exhibition fully until the closing time then move to the restaurant on the upper floor.
It was also interesting to be at the museum after it was closed and visitors left. At the exit of the museum, we were seen off by the museum guard who also showed us the way to Roppongi station. That reminds me the film "Night Museum". This last moment along with the dinner may be also an experience rarely encountered.
At the end, just remind you that the restaurant is accessible without the museum's entrance ticket. It is a good dining choice at reasonable price in Roppongi even for those who are not interested in visiting the museum.
Related post, about another Brasserie Paul Bocuse unit:
French - Brasserie Paul Bocuse Daimaru Tokyo (大丸東京)
Restaurant name: Brasserie Paul Bocuse Le Musee
Address: 7-22-2 3rd floor National Art Center Tokyo, Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
The restaurant's official site (English) http://www.paulbocuse.jp/eng/musee/
The National Art Center Tokyo official site http://www.nact.jp
