Coincidentally, a week later my neighbour told me she took her daughters to Den Heksenketel for waffles on a Sunday afternoon, only to return later that evening with her husband for dinner. I was prompted to finally pick up the phone and make a reservation of my own.

Shaking off the cold as we entered, my companion and I were greeted warmly by the owner, Mike, and seated at a snug table in one of three adjoining rooms. The place looks and feels like the home it once was, complete with a vintage wood-burning stove. The witch theme is all around, with witches, bats and black cats hanging from every available space. It's on the edge of kitsch, but in the most endearing sense of the word.

The next thing we noticed was the stream of classic rock playing in the background - stuff like Mark Knopfler, Tina Turner, Roy Orbison, Creedence Clearwater Revival and David Bowie.

Some of the local beers on the menu include rarities like Saison d'Erpe-Mere, Canaster and Kwibus, and beers with witchy names, such as Helleketelbier and Dulle Teve. In fact, the beer menu alone had us bewitched for a good half-hour. In the end I ordered a Steenuilken, the same beer that indirectly brought me here, and my companion opted for Arend Tripel from the same brewery.

Making a dinner selection proved easier, as I had already set my mind on trying one of their hearty winter stews, in this case lamb with a side of potatoes. (Although both the monthly suggestions also proved tempting: pumpkin-carrot stoemp with sausage and bacon or wild boar ragu).

The chunks of lamb came in an apart cast-iron pot and were so soft I hardly needed to chew. My plate was decorated with a green, leafy salad and some surprisingly scrumptious little potatoes, pan-cooked to a golden crisp and sprinkled with a (house secret) mixture of subtle spices.

Across the table, the chef 's fish casserole arrived - a variety of seafood, including mussels, scallops, salmon and cod, under a creamy crustacean sauce. The dish was beautifully presented, topped with a bright red crayfish and fresh fries on the side, with a pot of homemade mayonnaise. The flavours were not overbearing, so the fish remained light and tasty through to the last bite.

Our compliments go to the chef, Mike's wife Lieve. Both Mike and Lieve are trained cooks who started the business just over four years ago. "It was my wife's childhood dream to open a restaurant," Mike told us. "Now we're easing into it, and someday we hope to do this full-time." For now, it's a place to enjoy four days a week...unless, of course, we spread the word.

www.eethuis-denheksenketel.be

Schoolstraat 94, Erpe-Mere; 053.83.13.58
Thursday to Saturday 18.00-21.30; Sunday 12.00-21.30
Witches' brews and stews

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