Sjalot en Schanul owners want customers to feel at home

Dining can’t get much less pretentious than this. Menu choices at this long-established Antwerp restaurant aren’t abundant, but seeing the food prepared is pure joy. From our table on the ground floor, we see the owners, Marieke Avermaete and Chrisje Van Genecthen, work on our dishes.

They use only the freshest ingredients – leading some of the regulars to suspect that they own a secret garden where they pick their fruits and vegetables every morning.

While Sjalot en Schanul is famed for its artichoke salads, I opt for Yvette Crevette, an avocado salad with grey shrimp. The generously portioned salads are rich in flavour; mine comes with the house dressing, an all-time favourite here. The recipe, says Avermaete, “has remained a secret for 24 years, but people would crack up if they heard how simple it is.”

One of my dining companions asks for the popular Santa Rosanna, a beef tenderloin with baked potatoes and chicory salad. Named after one of Sjalot en Schanul’s most dedicated clients, Rosanneke, who’s been coming here since the restaurant opened in the early 1990s, it’s praiseworthy. Potatoes are peeled on the spot and come served with a crusty coating.

The third member of our party goes with the pasta Tante Tis, named after Avermaete’s mother. Composed of pasta, chicken, garlic and countless vegetables, it tastes sublime, especially when complemented with a glass of white wine.

At Sjalot en Schanul, even traditional Flemish dishes get new names. Avermaete takes pride in With Love in the Oven, which is just Belgian endive and ham in cheese sauce, a winter staple in Flanders. “We’ll sell one of these even on the hottest day of the summer,” she says.

While some items on the menu are priced a bit high – €25 for a meal-sized salad or €30 for the beef tenderloin, including a glass of wine – the sublime flavours and freshness make it worth it. Then, there’s the owners’ endless enthusiasm and energy. 

The rainbow-coloured Statue of Liberty on the bar serves as a reminder of the legalisation of gay marriage in the US – a memorable day for Avermaete and Van Genecthen, who had their marriage sworn in some 11 years ago. “It will never, ever leave,” says Avermaete, glancing resolutely at Lady Liberty.

Oude Beurs 12, Antwerp