A neo-izakaya just steps from its big brother, Bleu Canard, Aokamo (Japanese for this spot’s signature teal-blue color) is the latest playground from partners Ryo Nakamura and Rémi Aboudiab. This pocket-sized restaurant in downtown Lille splits its personality across two floors: downstairs, its tachinomi-style, standing-room-only energy, elbows on the bar, small plates flying. Upstairs, things settle into a more classic izakaya rhythm: seated, bistro-coded, Japanese-inspired eats. That lunchtime, plates landed with purpose: glorious agedashi dofu (friend silken tofu bathing in a deeply savory hot broth), coiffed with sesame-marinated daikon and a confetti of furikake; tonkotsu ramen roaring with flavor, chashu pork, ajitsuke tamago egg and a slick of Ra-Yu chili oil to tie it all together; then an unforgettable warm chocolate mousse lifted with bright yuzu gel and studded with nostalgic chunks of aero-style bubbly chocolate. A sneaky peek at the evening lineup reveals tsukune chicken skewers with turnip kimchi and runny egg yolk, or shio koji-marinated beef oshizushi with blueberry and dill tsukemono… Mouthwatering stuff! · Maude Zarella

FEELING THIRSTY? A serious sake selection, including Kameman Genmaishu (€7.50 a glass) and Japanese plum liqueur (€8), alongside natural wines to sip at the bar or share at a table: a smooth pineau d’aunis from the Vaillant family (€8 a glass), a picpoul gris from Domaine de Sulauze in Provence (€50 a bottle) or Rouge Sur Blanc from Enclos des Braves (€38).

PRICE: Set menus €28-35 (lunch), menus €45-65, small plates at the bar €10 (dinner).