It's always a pleasure to find a new restaurant that doesn't quite fit into any of the comfortable, well-worn categories. That's certainly the case at the excellent Le Pré Verre, which opened last November in the designer-sleek Gyre building on Omotesando-dori.

You can't call it a bistro; the dining room looks way too chic, and the food is several notches too sophisticated. By the same measure, it's not a wine bar either, despite the prominence of the glass-fronted cellar. So is it a full-fledged restaurant? Not really. It's friendly and casual, plus you can wander in any time of the afternoon, even if all you want is a light snack with a glass of wine or a small cafe espresse.

"Most French restaurants in Tokyo look either Zen (minimalist) or (cliched) bistro. We wanted to do something different," says Marc Delacourcelle, the genial co-owner and head sommelier.