Comme d'habitude. As any linguist knows, that's French for "as usual." As the name of a restaurant, it conjures up images of a run-of-the-mill bistro with standard-issue checkered tablecloths. But the name is both modest and misleading, because Comme d'habitude in Kami-Meguro stands head and shoulders above the average.

A dark-red awning covers the carpeted steps that lead up to the front door. A bevy of attentive staff greet you as you enter. To your left is a small bar where you can sip an aperitif as you wait for your dining partners. The walls are paneled with wood, their seriousness relieved only by a couple of wine maps of France.

This is a place by and for people who are serious about their food (and drink). You can tell by the way the dining room is arranged. It's small but in no way cramped, with generous-sized tables for almost 20. But for many people, the best seats in the house are the eight that line the spacious wooden counter. Most of one wall is open so you can look into the kitchen, not through glass, not from afar, but as close up as if you were sitting in a sushi shop.