Tokyo food-fight 2007: Robuchon kicks Ducasse's butt

While in Tokyo, we did what any sensible foodies would do: we ate at the restaurants of two famous French chefs. The first dinner was at Joel Robuchon's Atelier, his approachable, bistro-style establishment on the second floor of one of the shopping buildings adjacent to our hotel in Roppongi Hills. The second was at Alain Ducasse's Beige, a fancy place perched on the tenth floor of the Chanel building in the pricey Ginza district.

The Beige dinner cost more than twice as much as the one at Atelier and featured a setting that merged the themes of its name with the designs of Chanel (yes, the staff wore custom Chanel designs).

Robuchon's Atelier delivered far and away the better meal. Robuchon's dishes featured more inventive mixes of ingredients, better presentation, and, most importantly, better taste.

Both meals were, of course, extremely good, way past normal restaurant fare--as they should be, given the chefs, the settings, and the prices.

But Robuchon won going away.

If you're in Tokyo and you want great French food, head to Atelier.