In the trendy Sosei East area, where stylish shops are on the rise, you'll find BISTROT déjà, a casual French restaurant that has been a local favorite for 20 years. A "bistro" is a French term for a small, informal restaurant, and this place lives up to its name, offering casual, home-style dishes. How about treating yourself to a special lunch that's a little different from the usual, with authentic bistro cuisine for under 2,000 yen?

Across the street from Sapporo Factory 3-jo kan

The Iwasa Building, located across the street from the north side of Sapporo's popular Sapporo Factory, is known as a gathering place for the city's creative and discerning crowd, with its cafes and small theater. BISTROT déjà is tucked away in a corner of this building. The interior has a pop design reminiscent of a Parisian street corner, with eye-catching red checkered tablecloths. For lunch, you can choose from four different courses, and you can also select your appetizer and main dish from several options.

The "A Course" for 1,540 yen, where you can choose an appetizer or soup + a main dish. Comes with homemade bread

On this day, the lunch appetizers included four choices: "Pork and White Liver Pâté," "Fish and Potato Quiche," "Assortment of Pâté and Quiche," and a "Paprika and Tomato Potage" soup. For the main course, there were two options: "Pan-seared Cod with Caper Sauce" and "Roasted Chicken Thigh with Vinegar Sauce." Both are generously portioned, making the restaurant a favorite among male customers as well.

The main dish, "Roasted Chicken Thigh with Vinegar Sauce"

The bistro classic "Pâté" and a "Quiche" with potatoes and white fish

Other options include the "B Course" with dessert (1,980 yen), the "C Course" with an appetizer, soup, main dish, and dessert (2,420 yen), and the "D Course" (3,300 yen), which includes an appetizer, soup, dessert, and both main dishes. Additionally, every Thursday (excluding public holidays), there's a limited "Today's Pasta + Mini Salad" set for 900 yen! The pasta is said to be a popular dish with a loyal following since the restaurant first opened.

The dessert is a trio of chocolate chiffon cake, banana clafoutis, and coffee-flavored glace (ice cream)

All dishes, including desserts, are handmade with care. "Even though it's 'French cuisine,' I want people to enjoy it casually, so I've kept the prices as low as possible. With the recent rise in prices, I'm really doing my best (laughs)," says owner-chef Yoji Moriya, sharing his passion.

Mr. Moriya has been dedicated to French cuisine for 40 years, a veteran who has worked his way through numerous famous restaurants, mainly in Tokyo

While the menu doesn't change drastically from day to day, it's a delightful touch that they use seasonal fish and vegetables, allowing you to taste the flavors of the season.

The name "déjà" is said to mean "already?" in French, as in "Are you leaving already?"

For dinner, they offer an extensive à la carte menu featuring dishes like mousse, galantine, beef cheek stewed in red wine, and lamb shoulder stewed with tomatoes. Course meals, which can be ordered on the day, are also available starting from 4,000 yen. As the restaurant can get fully booked, making a reservation in advance is recommended.