Team Aussie has finally arrived from Sydney and early this morning, most of my team had already taken off to greet them at their hotel leaving behind yours truly and mom who's nursing a bad knee.
With the rest of my team off to explore the aquarium and other attractions in Osaka with Team Aussie, I've got myself some Me Time to spend this afternoon. I decided to put it in good use, starting with a long-anticipated lunch at agnel d'or, a contemporary French restaurant that I have wanted to visit for a while.
We took an Uber to the restaurant, but with its location tucked away in an unassuming building, it took us a little while to locate the exact entrance.
Agnel d’or is a cozy, 10-seater run by owner-chef Akinari Fujita (藤田 晃成), who honed his skills in France and Basque Country in Spain for four and a half years before returning to Japan in 2013 to open this culinary gem. Even before earning its Michelin star in 2024, agnel d’or has already earned a reputation for its innovative take on French cuisine, with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal Japanese ingredients.
I have recruited mom as partner in crime today and she gladly accepted my invitation despite her bad knee.
We began with a small vegetable waffle sandwich, hiding what I believe was tuna tartare in the middle. A nice nibble to kick off the meal.
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Biwa trout, turnip, Funuiyu, water shield – Turnip pudding dressed like a chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard) was nicely topped with marinated Biwa trout eggs, water shield and crispy fennel sprouts.
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Underneath the surface was a layer of marinated Biwa trout adding depth and texture to the dish, creating a mouthfeel that was both delicate and complex.
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Bonito, asparagus, Kinji grass, coriander – What looks like a simple salad of asparagus, coriander flowers and morning glory was finished off with a nice pour of cream sauce made from fermented milk, straw and bonito flakes.
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Fresh Bonito cubes, dried bonito flakes and egg yolk were found buried underneath the bed of vegetables. I love how the egg yolk added richness to the salad.
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Duck, shiitake mushroom, myoga – Slices of roasted eel duck were served on an eight-colored shiitake mushroom, stuffed with minced duck meat and crowned with strips of myoga ginger for some nice, textural contrast.
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A drizzle of sancho pepper-flavored duck consommé tied everything together with an intense, peppery finish.
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Next came a slice of fir tree scented bread made at Le Sucré-Coeur Kitashinchi served with some homemade butter.
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Fish, squid, lotus root, rice malt – Beautifully roasted Suzuki fish fillet was paired with a squid sandwich made from rice koji marinated squid nestled between a lotus root "bun".
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Absolutely love the buttery sauce made with rice roji, bringing a rich, velvety texture to the fish.
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Platinum pig, treviso, beans – Like the duck dish, there were two servings of Platinum pork.
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The first was a slice of succulent pork which has been roasted to absolute perfection. It had a texture reminiscent of char siu (叉燒) — soft, tender, and delicately sweet. This was nicely complemented by a second serving of the pork with minced pork meat rolled into a roasted treviso with edamame beans. The dish was finished off with a refined sauce of fermented bean oil and meat stock delivering a balanced and sublime finish.
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Blueberry, fromage blanc, lavender – Dessert was a deconstructed take on blueberry cheesecake featuring fresh blueberries, fromage blanc and purple flower sorbet, and lavender flavored mousse.
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Beautifully balanced, light, and not overly sweet. A refreshing end to the meal.
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Next up was a small financier offering a buttery, golden bite of comfort.
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To finish, some mixed nuts with brown sugar powder to go with our cup of tea.
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A simple, heart-warming way to end the afternoon.
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Agnel d’or is not only listed among the 'Best 100 French Restaurants in the Kansai Region', but it also holds a Bronze Award in the 2025 Tabelog Awards — both well-earned accolades.
I was truly amazed by this hidden gem not just because of the seamless marriage of modern French cooking and Japanese ingredients. The impeccable pacing of the meal was as perfect as it could get. Each dish closely followed another keeping us on our toes. Other than the fact that the staff doesn’t speak much English, it was a perfect afternoon to remember.
Food Rating: 8.1/10
Price: ￥￥￥
Address: 2-4-4 Nishihonmachi, Nishi-ku, Osaka 550-0005, Japan
Closest Metro Station: Awaza
Tel: +81 (0)6 4981-1974
Website: http://www.agneldor.com/
Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 3:00pm (Wed - Sun), 6:00pm - 10:00pm (Tue - Sun)
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