Space Japan, the historic cultural center of Paris, founded in 1974, is well-known for its Japanese language courses, events, and cooking workshops. Recently, this place has opened its restaurant, designed as a natural extension of its mission: to share and promote Japanese culture... through taste.
Zen cantine and coffee shop during the day
Half-cafeteria, half-tea house, half-izakaya, Japan is celebrated here in all its forms, with a warm, gentle, and discreet welcome every time. At lunchtime, chef Utaco Okuno serves up simple and joyful trays. On the menu: miso-glazed fish, stewed vegetables, fluffy rice, and comforting miso soup. It’s family-style cooking, offered in a 14€ combo (vegetarian or accompanied by fish or meat), with the option to add a dessert and a drink for just a few euros more.
The afternoon feels softer. One sips a matcha latte or a ramune lemonade between the pages of a manga or Japanese novel. On the counter, there are treats: black sesame mochi, chiffon cake, dorayaki.
© Hugo Dominguez/ Le Bonbon
An izakaya like those over there in the evening
When night falls, the place reveals its true nature: that of an izakaya, those cozy bistros that are all over the land of haikus. In the kitchen, Chef Satoko Onaru whips up delicate little plates meant for sharing. Edamame with lime and shio-koji, crispy fries with aonori, semi-raw mackerel marinated in rice vinegar, potato salada with a twist, scallops in tosazu jelly (Japanese vinegar), leeks and king oyster mushrooms in miso, and karaage like you’ve never tasted before… every bite is a tribute to the archipelago.
© Hugo Dominguez/ Le Bonbon
We finish with a perfectly balanced matcha fondant, and to wash it down, you can enjoy some sake or shōchū, depending on what you’re in the mood for. How about a one-way ticket to Tokyo, without any layovers or jet lag? Sounds tempting, right?
Address: 12 Rue de Nancy, 75010 Paris, France
