Elements, Inspired by Ciel Bleu

A Winter Gastronomic Journey Dining at Elements, Inspired by Le Ciel Bleu was nothing short of extraordinary. The Winter Gastronomic Journey, “CHIKYU – Signature,” felt deeply thoughtful and beautifully composed, a seamless dialogue between Japanese precision and modern European technique. The journey opened with Kansai region meji maguro paired with Oscietra caviar, chorizo, and puffed corn ice cream, setting a bold yet refined tone. Stone milled Yame Tanaka flour brioche arrived warm and comforting, elevated by salted French butter and smoked Ariake sea nori butter. Handmade yakisoba noodles with murasaki uni, hojiso, and myoga delivered incredible depth and balance. Jean Larnaudie foie gras with artichokes, dashi vinegar glaze, mimolette, and Medjool dates was rich yet elegant, followed by dry aged kasugo-dai with smoked mussels and kintoki carrot that felt precise and restrained. The koji aged free range poularde with kabocha squash and morels in vin jaune sauce was beautifully layered, while the Arita Farm Miyazaki Wagyu A4 striploin offered indulgence without excess. Dessert concluded the experience on a poetic note, from a refined Mont Blanc with roasted pecan and satsumaimo caramel to the Fukuoka Amaou strawberry paired with Cha-Am lemon custard and fig leaf ice cream. Every course felt intentional, seasonal, and quietly powerful, a true reflection of why Elements has held its Michelin star for nine consecutive years.

Ordered 6 courses of Chikyu signature and did not disappointed. All the starters are really amazing. We specially like the homemade yakisoba in uni sauce. Truely enjoy all the courses and we did get some special black truffle topping as a birthday gift. Thank you!

I ordered the 7-course menu, and one of the “courses” was simply a small, standard loaf of bread. It’s difficult to understand how this qualifies as a course in a tasting menu. I felt compelled to leave a review mainly because of the main course: the Wagyu A5 striploin. What I was served was almost entirely fat, with barely any meat. This is not the level of quality one would expect from a Michelin-rated establishment. Nonetheless, when I raised the issue with the staff, they offered to prepare a replacement. However, by that point it was already late, and as the dishes take a long time to prepare, I declined. Regarding the service, it was mediocre. The first staff member did not explain anything (although the second did). The ambience was also disappointing. If you dine as a pair, you are seated near the window, but there is no view as it is blocked by shrubs and trees. To be fair, some of the other dishes were delicious, and the dessert was enjoyable. Unfortunately, these positives were not enough to make up for the overall shortcomings, especially considering the price and the restaurant’s reputation.