Yakuza by Olivier, Paris: too expensive for what it is

A fan of Japanese fusion cuisine, I heeded the advice of a friend and the vox populi to try out the recently opened Yakuza by Olivier in Paris.

The Yakuza concept

Yakuza by Olivier is a chain of Japanese fusion restaurants operating mainly in Portugal and more recently in France.

By Oliver” is the signature of chef Olivier Da Costa, one of Portugal’s most renowned chefs, who offers a base of Japanese gastronomy with a touch of local cuisine. Having taken a quick look at the menus of its various restaurants, while the basic ingredients are broadly the same, you’ll find sardine-based dishes in Portugal and foie gras in France.

The setting of Yakuza

In Paris, Yakuza by Olivier is located in the 9th arrondissement in the 5-star Maison Albar Hotels – Le Vendôme.

The restaurant is accessed via a bar, which I passed quickly and found a little lacking in character. Too brightly lit, people with their computers doing a video chat at aperitif time, it’s a bit inappropriate for a 5* hotel.

The restaurant itself features a dining room with comfortable armchairs and a bar opening onto an open kitchen.

A cozy, Japanese style, not much to say on that side.

On the whole, the place is rather pleasant, with no lack of taste.

The Yakuza menu

The menu is rich but not immediately easy to understand.

I’m told that, apart from two dishes (the wagyu steak and a fish), everything else is made up of small portions designed to be tasted and shared. There’s no typical meal sequence, and you can order anything you like, with the only limit being your appetite…and your wallet.

The meal and the dishes

I’m greeted at the hotel reception desk, my sanitary pass is checked and I’m escorted to a door. The receptionist rang the bell and left me at the door, saying “your experience starts here”.

At this stage, you’d expect something surprising…. but no. The door opens and I enter the bar. My coat is taken and I cross the bar to the restaurant. I am given a stool at the bar.

I immediately order a bottle of sparkling water and they bring me a Chateldon. The staff in the kitchen is starting to get busy.

The waiter helps me to understand the logic of the menu and I start with a first order, then I’ll see if I’m still hungry. He tells me my choice is excellent…you bet he says the same thing to everyone?

For drinks, you have to scan a QR code to access an online menu, but as it’s hard to get 4G in the restaurant, they end up giving me the wifi code. I’ll have a glass of sake that will last the whole meal.

I’ll start with Goyzas in Ponzu sauce.

It’s good, light, not greasy at all, but in terms of taste I’d hesitate between “fine” and “so fine it’s almost bland”. All in all, it lacks a bit of flavor.

Next comes the salmon and truffle Nigiri.

The presentation is superb. For a dish like this, I have qualms about sacrificing the truffle to the soy sauce/wasabi/ginger trio.

I’ll start without ginger to respect the product, then with sauce and accompaniments to compare.

The salmon is braised. It’s good, but it takes away some of its pep and smokiness. Moral: if it’s fine enough eaten on its own, the soy sauce and wasabi kill the dish. On the other hand, the truffle doesn’t stand out that much.

The rice is delicious, light and almost airy.

It’s beautiful, it’s good, but I’m still not completely satisfied.

Next up is the Gunkan with salmon, quail egg and black truffle.

Great presentation. Here I rediscover the flavours that were a little absent from the previous dishes. It’s good, light, very fine.

Next up is K.O.B’s Gunkan: wagyu beef, foie gras, pickled onions and Teriaki.

Still nothing to complain about in terms of presentation: there’s a real effort here. Otherwise, there’s nothing to complain about: it’s really excellent. Overall, it’s a delight.

Then the Gunkan Shiromi: white fish, lime ginger and pickled onion.

Once again, it’s good, fresh and tasty, even if I find that the onion jam adds a touch of sweetness that’s perhaps too pronounced.

So much for my initial order. At this stage, my impression is mixed. It’s beautiful, it’s good, but there’s something missing. I like it, but I’m not really excited about it. I have a choice between stopping here or continuing. I decide to give the product a chance: I’ll have another Gunkan K.O.B. as well as a crab leg.

The crab leg with miso and herbs is a real surprise!

Non seulement c’est “copieux” mais c’est un vrai délice. It’s warm but refreshing, with a real pep. I wasn’t expecting such a presentation. At least I don’t regret having continued.

For dessert, I’ll have the green tea fondant.

It’s good, but once again I get the impression of a dish that doesn’t “release” all its flavor.

I’ll finish with an espresso.

The atmosphere

Overly loud electro music, dark lighting (but not too dark for once)…Yakuza is a hip place where people want to be seen. You don’t just buy quality food and products.

The service

Pleasant waiter always ready to advise and help. A little cheesy at times: the “it’s an excellent choice, I couldn’t have done better” approach is ridiculous.

Bottom line

Not really the kind of atmosphere I like, and I know that there aren’t many people close to me whom I could take to dinner here, if I felt like it. The cuisine is a pretext: you’re buying a setting, an atmosphere, so if you don’t like eating in a nightclub and you’re only concentrating on the food, you’ll quickly become strict with it.

So let’s talk about the food. The presentation? Perfect. Creativity? It’s there. Taste? I had mixed feelings about this : although I really liked a couple of things, I had the impression that the cuisine was holding back its flavors. My palate expected more.

So a good experience? Overall, yes. Good, without more, but good.

Ah…by the way, the bill was 214 euros!

All of a sudden, the experience is only moderately good.

This year I’ve already spent 300 euros on a meal several times, including at Gordon Ramsay’s Pressoir d’Argent, where I’ve even returned. Each time I told myself it was worth it and I paid without the slightest regret, quite the contrary. Honestly, it was too expensive for what it was, especially as I was still hungry when I left.

So Yakuza is an excellent right to go out to dinner and invite someone who’s more interested in what’s shiny than in the food, and who appreciates you for your credit card. Otherwise, there are other Asian restaurants in Paris that will enchant you in other proportions with a less showy setting.

With the same promise, VRA in Gothenburg is a step up and cheaper.

And finally, will I return to Yakuza? I confess that I asked myself the question, thinking that if I limited myself to crab legs and wagyu steak… but no. I think at this price level I can find much better.