The red-brick Western-style building was constructed at the dawn of the 20th century. Restaurants opened one after the other in those days as the winds of modernisation blew through Japan. With its sparkling chandeliers, the dining room recalls the stately home of some European aristocrat. The prix fixe menu is crafted with abundant imagination, each dish telling a story. ‘Nelu’ derives from the Japanese word ‘neru’, meaning to knead or temper, and the first character in the word for ‘brickwork’. The chef mixes innovation with the traditions of French cuisine to create a modern culinary styling.