Shigekuni (Ebisu)
Pan Bistro combines the family business with his own dreams
The young (24-year-old!) owner-chef, Kotaro Aoki, comes from the family business of the popular Shigekuniya 55 Bakery in Koenji, and this background inspired him to aspire to become a chef from a young age.
During the summer vacation of his third year of high school, he interned at L'Effervescence. His desire to pursue this path further fueled his interest, and after graduating he went to sio in Yoyogi Uehara. After working there for three years, he helped out at home while preparing to go independent. Thinking about the future of the bread-making business that his parents had been involved in, he combined it with his own dreams, saying, "I want to reduce the burden by combining it with other forms of work and make it sustainable."
Roasted venison and lotus root
The thick and tender outer thigh meat of Ezo venison is browned and then cooked in the oven, then finished by frying it in a frying pan with butter until it is moist and tender. The accompanying lotus root is also grilled to perfection. 4,400 yen (serves 2).
Fuho Toast
This bread appetizer was created as a signature dish. Toasted walnut bread is topped with butter, pecorino cheese, and anchovies, and finished with black pepper and raw honey. "It goes well with beer," says Aoki. 800 yen.
Red sea bream carpaccio
This dish is presented in a block, completely overturning the preconceived notion that carpaccio is thinly sliced. The red sea bream skin is grilled to give it a fragrant finish. It is served with yuzu-flavored pickled turnips and marinated rape blossoms. 3,000 yen (serves two).
Shigekuni Bread
The type changes depending on the day. The photo shows batard and pumpkin bread. 600 yen.
The cafe and bakery were open during the day, and the bistro was open at night. The whole family worked together to run the business, with the father baking bread in Koenji and the mother delivering it here.
The menu includes French classics such as bread appetizers and pate de campagne, as well as ambitious dishes such as carpaccio, which re-examine existing recipes.
He also offers pasta as a final dish, saying, "I want people to feel free to use it." He is full of enthusiasm, having realized his dream of becoming independent by the age of 25.
"I want to make this a store that is close to the everyday lives of our customers," says Aoki. 
The lighting is subdued, and the counter seats have a calm atmosphere.
