[Interview] Azabu-Juban's Aile Blanche Relaunches in a "French Cuisine × Japanese Wine" Style!

Azabu-Juban is one of Tokyo's premier gourmet areas.
It is home to a French restaurant that has long been favored by gourmets: 'Aile Blanche'.

It is known as a unique, celebrated destination where guests can enjoy supreme gastronomy created by owner-chef Tomohiro Ogawa (the older brother), who elevates traditional French cuisine into modern, innovative creations, and sommelier Masayuki Ogawa (the younger brother).

Aile Blanche opened in Azabu-Juban in March 2007. For 17 years, it built its reputation as a venue where guests could enjoy classic French cuisine paired with French wines, but at the end of June 2024, the restaurant embarked on a new endeavor.

That endeavor is a transition to a style based on "pairing French cuisine with Japanese wine".

Furthermore, from 8:00 PM, the restaurant transforms into a wine bar where guests can casually enjoy Japanese wine.
It is without a doubt a must-visit restaurant for any Japanese wine fan.

In this article, NIHON WINE.JP interviewed Tomohiro Ogawa (hereafter "Tomohiro") and Masayuki Ogawa (hereafter "Masayuki") about their thoughts behind the renewal.

Additionally, we experienced the "French cuisine and Japanese wine pairing" firsthand.

The Ogawa brothers shared that it was precisely because they are brothers that they were able to continue for 17 years and launch this new challenge.

Be sure to check out this must-read interview for Japanese wine fans.

Q: Congratulations on the grand reopening of Aile Blanche. First, please tell us about the key points of this renewal.

Tomohiro: "Taking advantage of the renewal, Aile Blanche has become a French restaurant based on the 'pairing of Japanese wine and French cuisine.' We doubled the counter seating from 4 to 8 seats, making it easier than ever to communicate with our guests. Also, since our restaurant allows guests to enjoy the live action of an open kitchen, I believe it has become even easier to enjoy the overall 'dining experience,' including the French cuisine and Japanese wine."

Masayuki: "From 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, we serve the French course menu. After 8:00 PM, we operate as a wine bar where guests can enjoy Japanese wine by the glass. The lineup of wines by the glass changes daily, as I open bottles that I personally want to drink. Because of that, we might open rare Japanese wines on certain days. Also, since we use Coravin to prevent wine oxidation, we are able to offer a wide variety of Japanese wines by the glass."

Q: Were you offering Japanese wine prior to this? Also, please tell us if there were any changes to the cuisine when Japanese wine pairings became the main focus.

Masayuki: "When Aile Blanche first opened, French wines were the main focus. It was very much an orthodox French restaurant serving French cuisine paired with French wine. During the pandemic, I started getting interested in Japanese wine and gradually began offering it at the restaurant. Taking the opportunity of this renewal, we decided to make Japanese wine our primary focus."

Tomohiro: "Before the renewal, our pairings were based on French wine, so the sauces were created with complex flavors and structures. Now, with Japanese wine as our foundation, we place greater emphasis on aroma, shifting toward dishes with simpler flavors and structures whenever possible. As for ingredient selection, since we started handling Japanese wine, we've begun using ingredients from outstanding Japanese producers. However, because we value how the dish is ultimately finished, we aren't fixated solely on domestic products and use ingredients from a wide range of regions."

Q: When it comes to wine and food pairing, techniques often revolve around 'cooking food to match the wine, or choosing wine to match the food.' How do you finalize your pairings at Aile Blanche?

Tomohiro: "As a restaurant, the standard approach is to start with the dish and then match the wine to it. However, because we are brothers, my younger brother might say, 'I have this wine,' and as we taste it together, we discuss things like, 'In that case, let's create a dish like this,' gradually completing the pairing. While starting with the food might be the norm, we leverage the unique strength of being brothers."

Masayuki: "Having worked together with my brother for a long time, I select wines while thinking about what his dishes taste like. When I try a Japanese wine somewhere, I often select it while imagining which of my brother's dishes it would go well with. The charm of Japanese wine lies in its delicate aroma and flavor. Day by day, I strive to create pairings that bring out the best in both the food and the Japanese wine."

The reborn L'aile Blanche offers French cuisine pairings built around Japanese wine.
We experienced this "French x Japanese Wine" pairing through two dishes: an appetizer and a main course.

The dish served as the appetizer:

Dish Name:

Marinated True Whelk, Watermelon, and Orange with Mango Sauce

Key Ingredients:

Uses true whelk from Hokkaido, considered the highest quality among whelks.

Marinated together with fruit to gently envelop its pleasantly crunchy texture and ocean aroma.

Tomohiro: "At the very bottom is cauliflower mousse. On top of that, we have Hokkaido whelk marinated with watermelon and orange. The sauce is mango, garnished with yellow herbs for aroma."

The wine paired with this dish is <多田ワイナリー バッカス オレンジ サンスフル>.

Masayuki: "The wine we propose for this pairing is <多田ワイナリー バッカス オレンジ サンスフル>. It is an orange wine made from a grape variety called Bacchus, offering a gorgeous aroma accompanied by a distinct acidity.
We match the unique bitterness and umami of the whelk with the bitterness of the orange wine. Since it is a light appetizer, we aimed for a refreshing pairing that bridges smoothly into the next course."

A fusion of the orange wine's gorgeous aroma and the fruity scents of watermelon and orange. The bitterness of the whelk and the orange wine blend together seamlessly, and the lingering acidity leaves the palate feeling refreshed—a truly wonderful pairing.

For the main course, we were served:

Dish name:

Kitajima Wine Pork Roti

Grilled Eggplant Compote and Apple Purée with Truffle Fragrance

Ingredient Highlights:

Kitajima Wine Pork is raised by Kitajima Farm in Yoichi, a famous wine town, where the pigs are fed red wine produced in their own vineyards. Originally, the pigs from Kitajima Farm had a clean, pure taste from being raised on groundwater, but feeding them wine has given the meat a tender, fine-grained texture. For this dish, the Kitajima Wine Pork is finished with a rich flavor by adding the aroma and acidity of raspberry vinegar to a red wine base, accompanied by the lush fragrance of black truffle.

Tomohiro: "For the main course, we used 'Wine Pork,' a premium brand from Kitajima Farm in Hokkaido. We roasted the pork shoulder. For the sauce, we added the aroma of truffle to red wine and raspberry vinegar. We also accompany it with eggplant compoted in ginger and consommé, apple purée, and fresh Australian black truffle."

The wine suggested for this pairing is <さっぽろ藤野ワイナリー ミキノホトリ ルージュ>.

Masayuki: "<さっぽろ藤野ワイナリー ミキノホトリ ルージュ> is a red wine blended from Pinot Noir and Zweigelt. The elegance of Pinot Noir and the acidity of Zweigelt complement the meat beautifully. The sweetness of the tender Wine Pork also pairs wonderfully with the gorgeous aroma of Pinot Noir and the sweet notes of Zweigelt."

The Wine Pork is surprisingly tender, allowing you to fully savor its natural meat sweetness.
The bright, light fragrance of the raspberry-infused sauce blends exquisitely with the wine's vibrant aroma and the characteristic earthiness of the Zweigelt.
Masayuki believes that red wines low in tannins best complement tender Japanese meats.

This is a supreme fusion of French cuisine and Japanese wine that can only be truly enjoyed through Japanese wine.

Q: Lastly, do you have a final word for the readers of NIHON WINE.JP from Tomohiro and Masayuki?

Tomohiro: "Through this renewal, we've brought ourselves closer to our guests, allowing them to experience a greater sense of live presence. While some might envision a high-end restaurant, we want guests not only to enjoy the food, but also to feel free to enjoy their meal, wine, and conversation while hearing about Japanese wine from my younger brother, who is our sommelier."

Masayuki: "After 8:00 PM, we operate as a wine bar. We offer a wide variety of Japanese wines by the glass, so we hope you will drop by to enjoy that as well."

The renowned Azabu restaurant Aile Blanche has undergone a bold renewal centered around pairings of Japanese wine and French cuisine. The renovated interior is beautiful and modern, yet conveys a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere.

Why not pay a visit to experience the possibilities of French cuisine and Japanese wine for yourself?

Restaurant: Aile Blanche
Address: 5F Patio Azabu-Juuban, 2-8-10 Azabu-Juuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-5439-4338 (16:00–21:00)
Hours: Restaurant 18:00–20:00 / Wine Bar 20:00–23:00
Closed: Every Sunday *Please check with the restaurant in advance

Reservations:
https://www.tablecheck.com/ja/shops/aileblanche/reserve

Map

https://nihonwine.jp/nihonwine-news/aileblanche-16th-event-report/