The Subtle Essence of Delicacy

The address lies at the entrance of Waterloo, on the edge of the gleaming Brussels road, and was born in the first days of this sacred year. It was a bold move. But a unique personality calls for an atypical place. Enishi* opens onto a space of sharp simplicity. One settles in gently between soft tones and noble materials of blue stone and light wood. In this purity, there is the feel of a stage entrance, a promise of the moment to come.

Toshiro Fujii is no stranger; for nearly a decade, he was second to San Degeimbre at L’air du temps**, then helped open the bowl restaurants of the Master of Liernu before taking over Inada in Saint-Gilles for a time under his own name. Today, Toshiro, as a free and liberated man, is finally in his own space.

His cuisine doesn’t try to impress or overact, but almost seeks to ‘disappear’, to remain in the utmost humility, to evolve with delicate touches, advancing in a kind of self-effacement behind exemplary technique and impeccable products. This is far from the pseudo-mystifying noise of falsely Japan-inspired spots or fusion restaurants that manage only one thing: destroying the cuisines they stubbornly try to mix.

More than fusion, Toshiro’s cuisine is a beautiful blend. His Japanese roots are naturally evident—clean dishes, accompaniments balancing softness and strength, between gentle melodies and precise strikes. Toshiro’s eyes and heart are open to the world, and his cuisine reads like a fan of terroirs and their products, handled with the most refined touch: Mackerel, artichoke, kombu; Scallops, white asparagus, dashi; Fish, cabbage, lentil miso; Ramen, crab, wild garlic broth; Sweetbreads, bergamot, green asparagus, and Rhubarb, white chocolate.

Each plate feels like diving into an abyss—between surprise and restrained euphoria, finesse and emotion—for the man signs a repertoire of flavours that humbly reveals his story and all the knowledge gained in the great houses that shaped him.

This is a man who builds bridges between worlds. And one must know how to receive such finesse.

LD

  • ‘enishi’ is a Japanese word that could be translated as ‘the meeting of a destiny’.