To reach AOC Yoyogi entails an undemanding stroll down a narrow shotengai shopping street in one of those quiet, unexceptional parts of Tokyo you would never have recourse to visit in the normal run of affairs. It's only minutes away from the JR station, but far enough that you feel well removed from all the bustle and hubbub. Just the right location, you will agree, for an establishment that espouses the admirable principles of quality food and leisurely eating.

You know straight away when you've reached the right spot by the random profusion of flowers, herbs and other foliage that obscure the front of the premises. A large blackboard spells out the menu of the day. A handwritten wooden sign reassures you that they are open for business.

Past the narrow open kitchen by the door you find a compact dining area with white tiles on the walls like the inside of a butcher's shop, but decorated with maps of French wine-growing regions. A steep spiral staircase leads down to a second, more spacious dining room where the curving archway, wooden beams and warm lighting evoke the relaxed feel of a simple hostelry in the French provinces.