At this time of year, the frigid streets of Tokyo feel a very long way from the sun-baked hills and turquoise seas of the South of France. But they have cold weather down there too. And for that we should be thankful -- because if they didn't have winter, the local fisher-folk might never have developed their most famous recipe, bouillabaisse.

This is the season when the rich seafood soup of the Mediterranean coast around Marseilles really comes into its own. It's appetizing, heartening and no less effective in wind-whipped Tokyo than it is on the Corniche or the Co^te d'Azur.

In its original form, bouillabaisse is simple to the point of being basic: Whatever was left of the catch that hadn't sold was thrown in the pot with plenty of crabs and other crustaceans, then cooked down with olive oil and herbs. But getting it absolutely perfect is not so easy. To find out what it should taste like, head down to Bandol, the fine little French restaurant that looks down over the mid-section of Aoyama-dori.