Snug in a 16th-century town house, the restaurant retained some of its original elements. Behind the protected monument of a façade, with its crow-stepped gable, the interior follows suit. The front room houses a light, wooden bar, offset by maroon walls and rust-coloured tiles. The back room is all eggshell and beige, with a view of the courtyard.

The wooden chairs sport old-fashioned backs, while the tables are practically unadorned, putting the focus on the food. The overall feeling is cosy and old European, congruent with the location. As such, a large number of patrons are older, regular customers.

The wine list, though, put together by the chef, is thoroughly modern. Though "world wines" grace most menus, they rarely dominate: here we find South Africa in the majority, with solitary issues from Greece, Portugal, and Australia. According to the chef, he chooses award-winning, top-shelf wines from outside of France for their lower price but excellent quality.

Only a couple of wines are available by the glass, and they are both deeply flavourful: try the full-bodied Stellenbosch red First Lady. To satisfy the Francophiles, an expansion of the French selection is in the works.

On the menu, we find a combination of Flemish classics alongside expressions of the chef's creative side. The Specials menu starts off with a moist filet of tarbot on a bed of tender cauliflower with a perfectly matched, aromatic Noilly Prat sauce. Succulent wild boar cutlets are one of the main courses, the intense flavour accompanied and tempered by a softer note in the side dishes: a copious amount of seasonal vegetables. A pungent mango chutney figures in, as well, for a pinch of zest.

For the grande finale, crème brûlée with rich Réunion vanilla – served cold – flows like velvet as it goes down the hatch.

Zeugsteeg 7, Ghent

Open: Mon-Tues, Thurs-Fri lunch and dinner; open Sat dinner

Specials Menu: lunch €17, dinner €30

www.de3biggetjes.com