The stately, white-washed brick building stands tall and proud atop the town’s sloping cobblestone street. Inside is cosy and stylish, without being overly fancy.
My dining companion has her young son along, so we opt for a table on the sunny terrace with a small playground. It’s located at the back of the restaurant, adjacent to a lovely tree-lined castle lane.
We are greeted with complimentary teasers: a shot glass of curry cappuccino and another filled with cream of asparagus soup and bits of ham. We are inspired to order a carafe of what turns out to be good-quality house red wine.
It’s a busy Saturday evening, yet we are the only ones dining outside. The servers are nonetheless very attentive, continuously jogging back and forth to keep us content. My friend orders a steak, and when it arrives we are glad to see it is anything but ordinary. One thick, generous slab of entrecote rests on a bundle of colourful seasonal vegetables, including green asparagus, young carrot and snow pea, all held together by a strip of smoked bacon. Both the veggies and the meat are tender and flavourful, not the least bit overpowered by the savoury brown sauce. Tarragon-stuffed new potatoes make the meal complete.
Our youngest dining companion has a kids’ serving of chicken with fries and homemade apple sauce, which looks so enticing we have to try a few bites. The dish is very fresh and healthy, even worthy of an adult’s more discriminating taste.
Meanwhile I’m thoroughly enjoying my trio of duck: just-pink slices of breast fillet, pan-fried liver and ragout. The fillet is butter-browned and incredibly moist. Underneath, a warm round of liver is so velvety and rich it melts on your tongue. Next to this, the ragout provides variety in the form of tender chunks of stewed duck and tangy tomatoes. It comes with perfectly matched mushroom gravy, a slice of spinach quiche and the same mini tarragon potatoes and bundle of seasonal veg.
We finish off the whole first-class experience with a strong cup of cappuccino and some tasty little cookies and chocolates. Surprisingly, the bill comes to a very reasonable €75 altogether.
Flanders Today is a 
11°C / 22°C
