One day, Instagram fed me a picture of Ogata.
I was in Paris, of course, and I was lazily scrolling through the phone, in a rare idle moment of rest between a lunch and a dinner.
Ogata.
The name sounded unfamiliar and full of mystery. I clicked on the story, and there it was.
A miracle.
A truly beautiful place, in the sense of beauty that draws me endlessly to Anne Schwalbe and her art, aesthetic, garden cooking, Abendbrot, lifestyle and renovation projects.
I waited one full year, and then one more, and a couple of months till I could breathe, live and experience Ogata physically. But for all this time, I subtly rejoiced when I saw a picture or a story popping up on my Instagram scroll.
I loved every detail, and I positively envied every person able to go there before me.
THE FACTS
Creative and visionary Shinichiro Ogata created this space and mood in 2020, as a gift to humankind, in my view. This is the epitome of Japanese subdued luxury, and to me, it was a spa for the soul.
It offers exceptional teas, both in a tasting experience in a dedicated space, and
It has a restaurant, offering traditional meals of a moving simplicity and purity. This time I did not manage to try their brunch or their delicate lunches, but it is firmly atop my Parisian “to-do list” for our next visit, so much we liked the atmosphere, the space and the bites we tried.
Its patisserie is quite unique in Europe, offering seasonal wa-gashi (和菓子), which is traditional tea patisserie, mainly plant-based. As we are in France, some of the luscious bites will feature butter, of course, but in a very integrated and delicate way: a dorayaki with butter is so quintessentially fusion that has all the beauty of a crêpe and of the original Japanese version.
It has a section where experts and customers together develop exclusive perfumes. I did not try myself as we were a bit short on time, but I would definitely have a sniff sooner rather than later.
Of course, it features a beautiful shop with luxury Japanese handcrafts. The pieces on display are quite unique and beautiful, and even if they may be outside of most people’s purchasing possibilities, they let themselves be gazed upon longingly, as pieces of art in a museum.
Current opening hours: from Monday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
THE DREAM
Interprétation d'un salon de thé selon OGATA, cet espace paisible présente une alternative contemporaine à la pratique traditionnelle japonaise. La carte propose des menus raffinés allant de l'expérience en après-midi samajiki au sashuka , jusqu'à une dégustation de cocktails innovants à base de thé.
A 90-minute experience for the initiated. A beautiful tea service in four different moments. Some menus provide more food (the afternoon service) or whiskeys and tea, but if I were you I would go for a 90-minute immersion- or better, infusion - into Japanese tea mastery.
There is a smaller, 30-minute moment with just one tea and one sweet, for those who are short on time.