Is there any Tokyo neighborhood more focused on dining than Ginza? Its nine compact blocks house the greatest concentration of high-end restaurants in the country — quite possibly the whole world. But when it comes to quality cuisine at somewhat more affordable prices, the area has less to offer. All the more reason to greet the arrival of Argile.
Opened in September, it is the offshoot of one of Tokyo's finest French restaurants, the excellent Esquisse. It's just two floors down in the same building, meaning there's a strong overlap in both ingredients and philosophy, especially since the man in charge of the kitchen is Teruki Murashima, who has worked under Esquisse head chef Lionel Beccat since day one.
But the two restaurants couldn't look more different. Where Esquisse is open and light, Argile is solid and earthy. The walls are dark, with matte textures evoking traditional Japanese ceramics. The bar area is faced with roof thatching. Smooth, spindly tree trunks rise to the ceiling, while statuesque chunks of driftwood seem to float above the bare timber tabletops in the center of the room.