Cafe Troisgrois, a casual dining spot from Michelin-starred chef Michel Troisgrois, turns out speedy, well-prepared lunches that offer good value for money (from Y1500). During a recent lunchtime visit, a platter of mortadella, potatoes, and vegetables, dressed in a piquant mustard-vinaigrette, was straightforwardly tasty, while a salad of crunchy tsubugai shellfish and creamy avocado offered an interesting contrast of textures. The grilled pork chop, overlaying a bed of red cabbage and accompanied by a blob of whipped potato-and-garlic rouille sauce, was well worth its Y250 surcharge.

During off-peak hours (10-11am, 2-6pm), Cafe Troisgrois's teatime menu offers the same frothy coffee drinks and sweet treats you might expect at places like Afternoon Tea, but with an upscale, gourmet twist. Mascarpone mousse, served alongside orange and carrot ice cream, is adorned with a lacy sugar-crisp. Honey-coated rusk toasts are dusted with jasmine-scented sugar.

Tucked away behind the eighth-floor glassware department in Odakyu Department Store, the space is a bit difficult to find. Despite the bold purple-and-green color scheme and the pleasant view of Shinjuku, the feeling of being in a department store never completely goes away.

Dinner is served until 8:30pm, but the atmosphere is not exactly conducive to lingering. However, the Y1050 corkage fee, which allows you to bring up a bottle of wine from the Boutique Troisgrois in the basement, may provide an incentive to stay.