On the Sunday of the three-day weekend, I embarked on a culinary journey to Aomori in search of truly delicious dishes. The first stop was the unique French restaurant in Northern Japan, Petit Restaurant Bouquet de France. The talented owner-chef, Hiromichi Narazaki, honed his skills at Michelin-starred restaurants in France and renowned establishments in Japan, such as La butte boise'e in Okusawa and CHEZ MATSUO in Shoto. Together with Madame Yoko, who serves as the waitress, they run this representative French restaurant in Northern Japan.For the aperitif, I enjoyed Veuve Pelletier Brut, followed by a visually stunning dish served in a spherical porcelain bowl: natural sea cucumber, which has a sweetness that lingers after swallowing, paired with the crunchy texture of "Rakkyo" (Japanese scallion) shoots and a delightful amuse-bouche featuring tomatoes and the herb borage flowers. The appetizer course consisted of multiple dishes. The first plate featured sweet shrimp with cauliflower espuma and onion chips—fresh, sweet, and plump shrimp from nearby waters. The second plate showcased a sea urchin flan made with abundant fresh sea urchin, reimagining the local Hachinohe dish "Ichigo-ni". The third plate presented carpaccio of "Mako-karei" (flatfish) from Nobechi, followed by the fourth plate featuring stuffed zucchini flowers from the chef's garden, filled with the rare "Hokkaido scallops" from Mutsu Bay, topped generously with summer truffles.The fifth plate awakened my Japanese DNA with a Loire-style dish of natural eel from Lake Ogawara, reminiscent of grilled eel rice. After savoring this dish with a port wine sauce, the sixth plate featured a sautéed abalone from the elusive Kuroku Island, which I had requested in advance. This dish, served with liver sauce, was a heavenly experience. The abalone, cooked slowly using a Japanese technique, was astonishingly tender yet retained a delightful bounce and slight chewiness. Unlike the increasingly common farmed abalone from Sanriku, its flavor was entirely different.For the main fish course, I enjoyed the crispy-scaled "Amasaba" (sweetfish) with snap pea flowers and beurre blanc sauce, while the main meat course featured perfectly cooked "lamb" from the Akita Prefecture, paired with a glass of Cellier des Princes Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This moment of bliss was further enhanced by a dessert of "white peach" with mascarpone ice cream and mint, completing the chef's special omakase course.I finished with a double espresso and a strong highball made with "Yamazaki" as a digestif. The wine pairing by Madame Yoko complemented Chef Narazaki's dishes perfectly, showcasing elegant and refined cuisine that generously utilized natural seafood from the Aomori coast. The high level of the sauces, which form the foundation of French cuisine, kept my palate delighted throughout the meal. This truly is a restaurant I wish to visit for a lifetime, ranking among the best in Northern Japan.With each visit, I am increasingly impressed by Chef Narazaki's culinary skills and precision. This is not a restaurant to be judged after just one or two visits. The quality of the dishes here is on a completely different level compared to the trendy places that gain high ratings through media exposure and events.
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