La Pitchouli de Loulou's Chef Tomoji Ichikawa cooked and studied throughout France but was captivated by the southwest—Languedoc, Gascony and the Basque region. He has put together a menu at La Pitchouli that focuses on those regions but ranges across France as well, with dishes such as celery rémoulade, pork rillettes, cassoulet, foie gras terrine, boudin noir, choucroute, couscous, tripe à la mode, and piperade. His wine list also reflects a Southwest preference, offering a dozen reds by the glass and almost as many white wines. He has put the kitchen in the very capable hands of Ryusuke Ikejiri, 28, his former sous chef at Chez Tomo.
La Pitchouli is a small, comfortable place; very casual. The decor is designed to let you unwind: soft lighting, bandeon tunes in the background and warm wood accents. The menu is on chalk boards, and the wine list is a sketchbook in which labels and descriptions are carefully pasted. With only four tables and a counter, it fills up quickly and it’s best to reserve.
Respect for terroir is at the heart of La Pitchouli. This “sense of place” informs every dish. One of their specialities is the platter of seasonal organic vegetables from Yamanashi Prefecture. Recently it featured broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, baby carrots, fern sprouts and komatsuna carefully prepared and seasoned to bring out their deep natural flavors. Another standout is the celery rémoulade, a standard opener at any Paris bistro. The grated celery root is anointed with white wine vinegar, a touch of walnut oil, a hint of mustard, and cream.
La Pitchouli does miracles with pork. And one not-to-be-missed dish is the grilled Iberico pork shoulder. This succulent meat, imported from Spain, is slowly smoked in-house. It’s then seared, sliced and served on a bed of tender shugiku and minced shallots. Superb. If you’re adventurous, try the lamb kidneys. This authentic bistro dish comes with spinach blessed by garlic, two large jars of mustard—full-grain and Dijon—and a sauce of natural juices pink with blood.
There are some thirty different items on the menu. Dessert choices, though, are limited to three or four. The recent grapefruit terrine with caramel ice cream was excellent, and the crème brûlée is one of the best in the city.
Prices are modest for the quality of this food. Most main dishes are under ¥2,000. Wine by the glass starts at ¥800 and by the bottle from around ¥3,000.