Le Content

Le Content might not push the envelope with its faithful French fares, but there’s a timeless appeal in its honest cooking. After all, even the restaurant’s name suggests so: “satisfaction” in French. It’s a swish place that nails the modern bistro brief: curved ceiling with alabaster plaster finish, clever lighting and Scandinavian furnishing. There’s a polished feel here, but also enough casual air for the crowd to order wine and clink glasses together before the aperitif arrives. For that, it’s usually a string of marinated Spanish mackerel and clam and squid tartare with dill sour cream. Other entrees like the pork pate de campagne maintain a play of satisfying textures. The Nara beef steak is given a punch with sage-scented jus sauce, while the beef cheek simmered in red wine and Toulouse-style cassoulet (slow-cooked stew) shows the chef’s affinity for traditional French cooking. Dessert is simple but mighty: crowd-pleasing tarte tatin with caramel gelato. Hiding in plain sight south of the Ayameike area in Nara, Le Content is one of the best introductions to business-class French cuisine for locals — exactly why it’s deserving of its new Bib Gourmand badge.