'Tis the season to be merry, but too many office parties, bonenkai drink fests and lavish yearend dining can quickly take their toll. In the face of hectic schedules and chronic overindulgence, the only remedy is to slow down and concentrate on the fundamentals -- good, satisfying food; fine wine; and simple, uncomplicated surroundings.

Vin Picoeur fits the bill just right. It's a cozy little place, tucked away on the second floor above a diminutive wine merchant on a back street just off the main drag in Ginza. This may sound obscure, but you will understand why it is worth tracking down when you learn that it was set up as an offshoot of Aux Amis des Vins, a casual restaurant-cum-wine bar that remains one of our favorites in this neighborhood.

It's a classic one-counter operation, with just enough room for 14 people to shoehorn themselves in along the open kitchen. Elbow room is adequate, if not generous, but there's little clearance to squeeze past, so instead of proper chairs you have to perch on basic (and not entirely comfortable) stools. Unless, that is, you arrive (or phone in your reservation) in time to secure the small table at the back of the room, which is equipped with four upright wooden farmhouse chairs.