ルヴァン美術館併設のカフェは癒される空間でした。 : Cafe Levain

The museum, which closely recreates the building designed by Isaku Nishimura in the Taisho era at Surugadai in Tokyo, was opened in 1997. At a time when school buildings resembled barracks, this delightful structure and garden, designed in a British cottage style, became quite a topic of discussion. (From the Cafe Levain website)

To convey the dreams and philosophies of the Taisho artists (such as the couple Yosano Akiko and Yosano Hiroshi, and Isai Hakutei), efforts were made to recreate the atmosphere of the original school as closely as possible—though it has now been done in Karuizawa.

Adjacent to this museum is "Cafe Levain." While it seems like a place for light snacks or coffee, you can also enjoy a substantial lunch here, so I decided to stop by.

The cafe features a spacious terrace overlooking a large garden and a large indoor seating area with big glass windows on a slightly raised level. However, since it was a bit windy and the temperature was low, I chose the cozy indoor area with a stove.

- Hamburg steak with demi-glace sauce: JPY 1,600
- Neapolitan spaghetti: JPY 1,250
Lunch sets include a salad, soup, and drink.

The salad was quite standard with a simple French dressing, but the vegetables were fresh. The hamburg steak arrived sizzling in a cast iron oven dish, and the demi-glace sauce had a wonderful flavor. The steak itself was generously portioned and finely minced.

My wife’s Neapolitan spaghetti was surprisingly good, boasting a retro Showa taste that fittingly complemented the Taisho-modern garden of the museum.

With soup and drinks included at this price in this location, there’s no room for complaints.

The museum is open from June to early November.