ル・デッサン（Le Dessin ）  神楽坂・牛込柳町/フレンチ（Kagurazaka-UshigomeYanagicho/French）

ル・デッサンがあるのは都営大江戸線、牛込柳町駅の直ぐ上。新宿区にありながら、利用する人の数は少なく、あまり知られていない駅ではあるが、ここル・デッサンの料理に魅了され、何度も足を運ぶ人にとっては非常に便利で、まさにル・デッサンの為にあるようなもの。

さて東京には、何故かフランス料理を食べさせてくれる大きな店はレストラン、そして小さな店はビストロ、もしくは豪華な内装がレストランで、質素なのがビストロと強引で無意味な線引きする人が多い。因みに、フランスでは、その日のメニューが手書きされた黒板が有ればビストロ、無ければレストランと線引きする人が多いらしい。

座席数14の小さなル・デッサンに黒板は無い。代りにあるのは紐で結ばれたスケッチ・ブック。紐を解いて開くと、そこにあるのは好奇心と食欲を刺激するメニュー。そして同じように紐で結ばれ、筒状になったナプキンはパレットの形をした皿の上に載っている。質素な空間ながらも、細かい箇所は全てデッサンというテーマで統一されており、シェフ自身が描いたデッサンの数々が壁を飾る。

一皿一皿の盛り付けからも、シェフのデザインと色彩への強いこだわりが感じられる一方で、シェフが料理人である事を端的に証明するのは、手間隙掛けて丁寧につくられた料理の味わい。豊かな色彩をもった繊細な料理から、シンプルで野太い存在感を感じさせる料理まで、印象は視覚に止まる事なく、味覚として食べる側の感性を心地よく刺激する。

そんなシェフにとっての理想は、モンペリエにある3ッ星のレストランで働いている時に接した『五感の全てに触れる』という料理とレストランの究極的なあり方。

落ち着いたパステル・トーンの緑と黄色が映える空間は、派手さはないが温かみが感じられ、小さくはあるが、隣の会話が気になるような事はない。（もし気になるものがあるとすれば、それは隣のテーブルに運ばれてくる料理の数々）その心地良さの中心になるのは、その場を過剰に演出する事なく、的確なタイミングでサービスを提供してくれるシェフの奥様の存在。

この美味しい料理を心地良く楽しませてくれる小さなレストランの唯一の問題は、テーブルを確保するのが困難であるという事。座席数が少ないだけでなく、ここでは予約した時間の前後に同じテーブルで食事をする人はいない。

もしも縁あってル・デッサンで食事をする機会に恵まれたなら、迷うことなく贅沢なコースを選んで、ワインを飲みながら増田シェフの料理をゆったりと満喫するのが良し。ここル・デッサンでは贅沢をして後悔することは決してない。

Le Dessin, one of Tokyo's truly outstanding French restaurants, is to be found almost directly above the Ushigome Yanagicho (Oedo Line) subway station, which is itself a stop away from the famed French food area of Kagurazka. Many long time residents of Tokyo are challenged to find this subway station on a map, but to those in the know about Le Dessin, it is simply known as the Le Dessin station. Patrons are quite often repeat visitors and their numbers are growing making reservations progressively more precious.

Here in Tokyo, many people call small unpretentious French restaurants bistros, and their more lavishly decorated cousins, restaurants. It is interesting to note however, that in Paris, many French make the distinction between the two based on whether there is a hand written menu on blackboard. A bistro will always have one, while restaurants will not.

Le Dessin, with only 14 seats does not have a blackboard. Instead, the daily offerings are contained in a ribbon bound sketch book. Inside this book you find explanations of each aspect of the prix fixe menu which features an elegant range of dishes from appetizers through to desserts. Your napkin is also tied charmingly with a ribbon and placed on a ceramic color palette. While the restaurant, the name of which translates to "drawing" or "design" in English, is certainly unpretentious, a careful observer will note that every detail of the restaurant revolves around the central unifying theme of design and drawing. Even the hangings on the walls are framed black and white drawings by Chef Masuda himself.

The presentation of each dish gives a clear indication that Chef Masuda has a strong sense of color coordination and layout. Yet his true passion as a chef is surely revealed in the actual dishes he so carefully prepares in his kitchen. From eye-catching dishes with an array of colors to the more subtle and quiet ones, each stimulates and satisfies not only your sense of aesthetic beauty, but also your discerning sense of taste.

Chef Masuda explains that the ultimate cuisine should touch all five senses of the human being. This is a philosophy he learned while he was in Montpellier, France, working for a three star restaurant.

The relatively small dining room is modestly but warmly colored with pastel green and yellow. Seating is arranged such that guests do not intrude upon each other's conversations, but it is certainly very easy to observe the variety of dishes emerging from the kitchen and being placed on adjacent tables. To ensure your dining experience is comfortable here is Mrs. Masuda. While she refrains from over managing the atmosphere, she quietly and gracefully provides attentive and timely service to all of her guests.

In fact it might be fair to say that the only real problem with this restaurant is that it can be one of the hardest places in Tokyo to get a reservation due there being only a single seating for the limited 14 seats. You and your friend(s) are only people who will use your table on a given night. The limitation to 14 guests per day is a way by which Chef Masuda and his wife can always ensure your meal will be very special.

When you do manage to secure your table here, it is highly recommended to come hungry, and to select the slightly more expensive of the two prix fixe menus offered daily so as to have the opportunity to thoroughly savor chef Masuda's culinary skill.

Treat yourself to a bottle or two of wine from the handpicked list of wines from France's premier wine regions of Bordeaux, Bourgogne, and the Cotes du Rhone. Each wine is chosen for its fit to the food Chef Masuda prepares, and if in any doubt as to the best selection, Mrs. Masuda and the Chef will advise you which bottle will best suit your selected food choices. By treating yourself to this combination of Chef Masuda's food and France's wine, you will savor the evening for a long time to come. Bon Appetit!