Bona Festa, a French-style Russian restaurant in Asakusa, is one of the most delicious places I have discovered while living in Tokyo. I could not go while it was being renovated, but with autumn here, and as a send-off for a certain gourmet friend heading back home, I finally paid a visit.

Butter

Butter with honey and vanilla. It is always delicious.

Appetizer

A refreshing start.

Bread

It is house-made, so it comes out nice and warm.

Pirozhki

I ordered a side dish too. I suppose you could call it a Russian-style croquette.

Wine of the day

It came straight out of the fridge, and at first both the taste and the aroma were ordinary, but as time went by it really opened up beautifully. Great value for money too. It would have been nice if the temperature had been adjusted beforehand, so that was a little disappointing.

Matsutake soup

Warm and fragrant. It feels like this autumn is being wrapped up with this one bowl of soup.

House-made bread again, of course

I suspect people like this are the ones who later go on to open a bakery, like tri-R did.

Fried shrimp

If I had not looked at the menu, I would have thought it was lobster rather than shrimp.

Cross-section

The flesh is wonderfully plump and springy~

Rolled cabbage

This is the main dish here. It brings out the soft, elegant sweetness of the cabbage beautifully.

Beef stroganoff

Melts in the mouth, as always.

Pear compote

A dessert that was both gorgeous and delicious. With even the dessert this perfect, it now stands up to any restaurant in central Tokyo.

Russian coffee

Black tea

After the renovation the dishes have been upgraded too, and it has become the ultimate restaurant. Just knowing a place like this makes living in Asakusa worthwhile.

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