Vive le restaurant Olivier Le François

A mere stop away from the bustle of Umeda lies a hidden gem. A short walk away from Nakazaki-cho Station on the Tanimachi line is Olivier Le Francois, a recently opened French restaurant with all the bon vivre you would expect from such an establishment.
What separates Olivier’s from your regular Kansai French restaurants is its authenticity. The restaurant was designed and built by Olivier, and many of the ingredients are imported directly from France. Olivier himself is a testament to authenticity – he has years of experience running restaurants throughout Japan and is, of course, a formally Paris-trained chef. His sous-chef has been with him for five years, and has learned all the tricks of the trade from him.

He dreams of somewhere that smacks of La Vie France, and with this venture he comes stunningly close to achieving this. During your time in the restaurant, whether it be gorging yourself on the generous portions or philosophically sipping a pastis at the zinc-topped bar, you can easily slip into the sort of reverie that transports you to the streets of Paris. Although the zinc is, at this moment, a clever façade, his venture is a work in progress and his plans for improvement include importing the top in its entirety from France.

Another fine point about the café is the terrace, no doubt soon to be put into full use as the weather warms up. It is expansive, due to the location, and is the perfect place to sit, relax and enjoy food the way it’s supposed to be enjoyed – over a few hours, with a few aperitifs et digestifs to help it down. The café-bar menu is available on the terrace from 12 to 10 in the evening. The restaurant serves a more sophisticated menu, including sets starting from 3,800 yen. The dinner menu is available from 5:30 and the last order is at 10.

Of course, the food is a pleasure to be behold, as is the wine. Olivier prides himself on creating traditional, almost rustic dishes, in contrast to the overly-elaborate dishes to be found elsewhere. Careful use of ingredients, herbs and spices mean that the food is neither too heavy or rich, but rather satisfying and flavourful. The salad (¥1,500), for example, is an ideal way to start your gastronomical journey, as it is bursting with flavour. Attention is given to both seafood as well as red meats, and the scallops with roasted vegetables (¥1500) and the choucroute, a French sauerkraut and sausage dish, (¥2500) are both filling and delicate in their flavours.

As with cafes across France, Olivier Le Francois is the perfect setting for a variety of encounters, from the business to the romantic. The atmosphere is friendly, and the regulars will readily share a drink with you. Olivier is also amenable to renting out the entire restaurant for small parties of between 20 and 30 people. Contact the restaurant for details.

Olivier Le Francois
1-8-24 Nakazakinishi, Kita-ku, Osaka
Nearest train station: Nakazaki-cho, Tanimachi Line. Take exit 4, first right. Walk straight for about 150 meters until you see the windmill.
Open: Mon-Sat. (close on Sun.)
Lunch set menu: 12:00–2:00
Café-bar menu: 12:00–10:00
Dinner menu: 5:30–10:00
Tel: 06-6374-9994

Text: Euan Mckirdy • Photos: Jatin Banker