For a milestone celebration of a friend who is much younger than me, I chose this restaurant to enjoy impeccable cuisine and service.Although our meeting was decided on short notice, I was relieved to easily make a reservation. I had the impression that grand maisons were generally easier to book due to their larger size, but it seems that trend has changed recently. I selfishly wish that such places would remain easy to reserve.I can't quite remember the last time I visited this restaurant... It must have been ten years since I was in high school, and I was excited to return.Considering my friend's age, I opted for a lighter course, the lunch course (JPY 16,500). While Apicius is known for its sea turtle soup, it wasn't included in the lunch menu, so I had to wait for another time.- Traditional appetizer: olives stuffed with anchovies- Smoked Spanish mackerel with a sauce made from eggs...- Foie gras flan with pineapple jelly, served with pain d'épices- Sweetfish and squid with uni beurre blanc sauce- Wagyu cheek meat braised in white wine, Provençal style- Crème brûlée- Dessert cart- MignardisesThe olives were served in a generous portion for us to nibble on, and they were delicious. I wish I could have them at home every day. They pair well with drinks, so we started with champagne to celebrate.For the appetizers, I chose the foie gras. It was an incredibly delightful dish. I started with a bite of elderflower jelly and foie gras, followed by a bite of pineapple jelly, then foie gras on pain d'épices, and back to pineapple. Occasionally, I added mint to the foie gras or enjoyed the tartness of the physalis, savoring the changing marriage of flavors with the white wine. I may have never spent so much time on a single dish before. The moist pain d'épices, with hints of cinnamon (and perhaps citrus?), was wonderfully aromatic and a key element. Although the dish may look simple, discussing our discoveries with my friend made it very enjoyable.The fish was sweetfish. You don't find that in France, do you? In Japanese cuisine, it's highly valued as a fragrant fish, but in French cuisine, it often gets overshadowed by stronger ingredients. Of course, it was delicious. The lightly grilled sweetfish and lightly fried squid were served with a hidden potato pancake underneath. It was topped with a beurre blanc sauce, which had a perfect balance of acidity and butter. The sauce was exceptional, with the richness of the uni and the sweetness of the sea, creating a stylish dish.For the meat course, I had the beef cheek. It's rare to see it braised in white wine instead of red. The presentation was a bit lacking, but unlike the heavy richness often found in red wine braises, the white wine allowed the natural flavors of the meat to shine through. The tomato-based sauce provided a refreshing finish.For dessert, we started with a small crème brûlée, followed by the dessert cart. I made it a point to try everything as a matter of etiquette, haha. There was a tart with Sato Nishiki cherries, pudding, an apricot tart, and something mango-like, along with a Sachertorte-style roll cake. I didn’t pay much attention to the introductions since I knew I would eat everything, haha.Everything was delicious, but overall, the Sato Nishiki and apricot desserts stood out for their sharp acidity and depth, while the others were less remarkable.There were many ice cream and sorbet options to choose from. The signature pepper ice cream used Madagascar pepper, allowing for a light and fragrant finish. Although pepper usually has a sharp impression, when used skillfully, it can create a delicate and floral aroma. The corn ice cream was also good, with a subtle sweetness and a hint of salt enhancing the rich flavor of the corn.It had been quite a while since my last visit, but I was extremely satisfied. The service was flawless and relaxed. The atmosphere was luxurious yet comfortable. Recently, French dinner courses have become quite heavy, so I chose a lighter course considering my friend's age, but there were clever touches throughout, allowing us to enjoy a continuously evolving taste experience from start to finish. One of my friends is a seasoned chef, and he smiled, saying that grand maisons are indeed wonderful. I'm glad I chose this restaurant.