PRESQUILE review: One Michelin star restaurant in Osaka

PRESQUILE, or rather, PRESQU’ÎLE

In my previous blogpost, it was mentioned that, as part of our 16th wedding anniversary celebrations, we travelled in Osaka and visited two fine dining establishments – LIAISON (see previous post here) and PRESQUILE.

This post will be about my PRESQUILE review.

Note: According to the Michelin guide, the restaurant is technically named PRESQU’ÎLE (not that I can pronounce it), but for simplicity’s sake, I’m going to refer to it as PRESQUILE, minus all the French accents.

Front entrance to PRESQUILE, Osaka

Similar to LIAISON, PRESQUILE is a One Michelin star restaurant that serves French cuisine. Though naturally, their ingredients primarily originate from Japan.

Listed as a One Michelin Star dining establishment

Located fairly downtown in Osaka (near Yodoyabashi station on the Osaka metro), upon first glance, the restaurant seems to have a front and back door; akin to a main and side entrance.

Backdoor / Store

The backend appears to resemble a wine shop – not surprising, as PRESQUILE is technically managed by a winery in Yamanashi.

Wines

For dining in, diners would take the front entrance leading to inside the restaurant.

Return to the Front

Inside PRESQUILE

American Express: Global Dining Credits

(Note: I had already used my Global Dining Credits at LIAISON, but the husband, who also holds the Platinum Charge Card, had his to spare).

PRESQUILE participates in the American Express Global Dining credit benefit. With the American Express Platinum Charge Card, card holders can enjoy S$400 worth of statement credits – out of which S$200 is for local and S$200 is for overseas spend.

In Japan, the booking has to be done via Pocket Concierge.

Confirmation of Booking via Pocket Concierge

When we booked with PRESQUILE, Pocket Concierge requested that we put a deposit – the basic cost of our set lunch (use the Platinum Charge card) – this is just to protect the restaurant in the event of no-show.

When you actually dine in, should the final amount be more than the deposit – the restaurant will adjust the amount and in our case we just settled the difference.

We requested that all payment be made via Pocket Concierge, and never had a problem with receiving the dining credits after. Transactions made through Pocket Concierge are valid and will trigger the offer.

Inspired by this post and want to apply for an American Express credit card? Apply through one of my referral links and receive either bonus Membership Rewards points or statement credit:

• The Platinum Charge Card: Use this referral link and receive up to S$900 statement credits and Samsonite Choca Spinner 68/25 (worth S$700) when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met.
• The American Express Platinum Card: Use this referral link and receive up to S$350 statement credits when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met.
• American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card: Use this referral link and receive up to 38, 000 Krisflyer miles and S$50 statement credits when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met. 

Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed on this page are that of Happy High Life and may not necessarily reflect the position of American Express. Happy High Life is not responsible for any decisions made by readers. The terms and conditions for each credit card's application and usage may be subject to change by American Express. Therefore, readers are recommended to check any matters with American Express or its partners; the list of all benefits of the Platinum Charge Card can be found here.

Settling in at PRESQUILE

PRESQUILE is beautiful. The interior is grand, gving off formally regal vibes, like a French style ballroom

Seating Area

The server, all smiles and politeness, showed us to our seat.

View from our seat near the curtains

When we sat down – the first thing I noticed was a random passionfruit on the table. The server informed us that, sometimes, the passionfruit is cut open and incorporated into a dessert. Unfortunately this did not apply to our set lunch course, so it was basically decoration. 

Spot the passionfruit

Supremely amused that the plates seemed to match the carpets.

Close up of Table Setting

Here’s the Menu of the day… in Japanese and French, but not English. Lol.

Menu of the Day

As usual, for those select few readers who always want to see the bag of the day (you know who you are), there you go.

Chanel quilted chevron flap

I’ll also throw in the OOTD (outfit of the day). Always love a good monochrome look – black and white is easy, classy and idiot-proof.

Bag slinging over the shoulder

with the chain doubled up

While we poured over the menu, the staff brought soft fluffy hand towels. On a little tray too – it was quite a nice touch.

Hand towel

There was also the option to add-on wines to the meal, and the staff happily gave their recommendations. 

Wine recommendation

We ended up sharing a glass of red wine, and another of rosé.

One glass each

French cuisine

All food items will be named in the original French language (as according to the menu), but I’ll try to give the server’s explanation / whatever google translate conjures up that makes sese.

Bavarois aux asperges et aux crevettes

Here, is a big Ebi (shrimp), and white asparagus, along with it made into a bavarois (Bavarian cream consisting of egg-base cooked custard).

The sauce beneath is derived from the same shrimp, or rather, a stock made with the same kind of shrimp.

To laypeople, this may look just like One Big Prawn and a Vegetable Mousse, but gosh, the Ebi was so succulent, so sweet, and the smoothness of the Bavarian cream literally melts and fuses with the thickness of Japanese shrimp.

A truly awesome start to the meal, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Pictures just don’t do this justice

And then, we had a Hiramasa et aubergines, which is alternating layers of kingfisher sashimi and green eggplant, and served with a balsamic vinaigrette sauce. 

Hiramasa et aubergines

The green eggplant was raw, and combined with the sauce – which was sweet and citrusy, made it all super light and easy. The kingfisher, super fresh, tasted like a lighter version of hamachi (yellowtail), and went very well with everything.

In layman’s terms, raw vegetables and raw fish

At this moment, the server brough us some bread and butter.

Butter with Hijiki Seaweed

At PRESQUILE, diners are given two kinds of bread. The first one is their in-house sourdough, baked to perfection and served warm.

Bread in a bowl

The second kind is their home made bread roll, about the size of my palm. This was much softer inside, and also served warm. 

I’m such a sucker for bread – so I’m definitely going to be biased, but gosh, the breads and Hijiki-laced butter was Oh So Comforting in that moment.

Home made bread roll

While munching away at bread rolls, we were served the next dish: scallops and risotto.

Gros Saint-Jacques sur le risotto aux algues et jus gras

It’s not obvious in pictures, but the scallop was HUGE – one of the largest I’ve ever seen. Rich, thick, and very scallop-y, it added character to the risotto below. The risotto itself is seaweed-based; while one can definitely taste the cream and cheese, specks of seaweed aftertaste remained. Add on the sauce, which is based on a fatty veal juice – it just added an extra layer of richness to the dish. 

Seaweed-based risotto underneath the scallop

Next up was the Filet de poissons du marché poêles, son jus safrané aux légumes. Roughly translated, it becomes Fillet of Pan-Fried Fish from the Market. with Saffron Juice and Vegetables. 

Filet de poissons du marché poêles, son jus safrané aux légumes

Topped with basil, it almost feels like this dish is nearly all about the saffron sauce. Saffron and fish is a delightful combo – earthly sweetness, slightly bitter aftertaste, all while maintaining the slight saltiness of fish. The fish itself is soft overall but slightly firm to chew.

Bonus: this went super well with our wines.

Unfortunately, zooming in makes it looks bigger only in pictures and not real life 

Next, we had a roasted daisen chicken breast with vegetables and supreme sauce (thanks google translate), or in French, Poitrine de poulet de Daisen rôtie et sauce suprême.

Poitrine de poulet de Daisen rôtie et sauce suprême

Chicken in Japanese is Tori, and this one was from Totori prefecture – says the server who was explaning that the dish is practically a word play.

While the menu says the chicken is roasted, technically, the chicken was wrapped and steam roasted, before being pan fried very briefly. 

The result is an extremely soft, extremely tender cylinder of chicken. With the sauce and vegetables, it feels like the most upscale and most elegant version of cream chicken stew that one can get. Familiar but with a sense of Wow.

Chicken in cylinder format

Sweet Endings

The best way to end a meal is always with dessesrt.

Especially if it is served on a pretty transparent bowl with flower patterns (or rather, trapped flowers, according to the husband).

Avant Dessert (according to the French Menu)

First off, this dessert was lost in translation. The French says ‘Avant Dessert’ – literally meaning Before Dessert. But the Japanese says ‘Coconut Scented Ba Ba’.

Take your pick.

Or, in the literal Japanese translation: ‘Coconut Scented Ba Ba’

To me, being so familiar with Malaysia and Singapore, I couldn’t help but think that this looks and FEELS like a gulab jamun.

It is a sweet thing that resembles a doughnut hole, soaked in sweet syrup and topped with cream. There were hints of coconut, but gosh, it really does seem like a more refined version of gulab jamun.

Literally reminds me of gulab jamun

And then, we were presented with a very different second dessert after.

Feuilles aux ceries et son sorbet aux framboises

The highlight was some Amerian cherries and raspberry sorbert, served with cream and thin biscuit. So fancy, so good.

They even did the work of removing the cherry seeds for us.

Cherries sliced and pitted

The top was thin, light, airy, and barely there but sweet, the sorbet super sharp and sour, and the cream just soft and velvety… it came together so well. We were definitely impressed.

With top removed

For the Final Wow of the day, the server brought… a large pyramid.

Something pyramid comes this way

And it opened to this:

Mignardises – both in the pyramid base tray (left) and glass jar (right)

Mignardises – these are little tiny sweets that are elaborately decorated and served following a meal. 

We were allowed to choose as may times as we wanted to sample. Of course, I had to try everything.

Top row: Matcha dome, Financier, Brownie; and in the Bottom row: Chocolate, Lyons Tart with Almond Caramel, Orange Peel dipped in Chocolate, Coconut bite.

My favourite were these two: an extremely real bitter match thick in green tea flavour, and the rose-infused chocolate. 

Best way to end a meal

Ended the session with coffee, and we both left, very happy.

2nd best way to end a meal

American Express Platinum Charge Card (Image source: American Express)

Inspired by this post and want to apply for an American Express credit card? Apply through one of my referral links and receive either bonus Membership Rewards points or statement credit:

• The Platinum Charge Card: Use this referral link and receive up to S$900 statement credits and Samsonite Choca Spinner 68/25 (worth S$700) when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met.
• The American Express Platinum Card: Use this referral link and receive up to S$350 statement credits when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met.
• American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card: Use this referral link and receive up to 38, 000 Krisflyer miles and S$50 statement credits when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met. 

Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed on this page are that of Happy High Life and may not necessarily reflect the position of American Express. Happy High Life is not responsible for any decisions made by readers. The terms and conditions for each credit card's application and usage may be subject to change by American Express. Therefore, readers are recommended to check any matters with American Express or its partners; the list of all benefits of the Platinum Charge Card can be found here.

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