Bite - ’t Boothuis
People like to complain about the long winters, but history also shows us that Flanders is blessed with a number of crisp, sunny autumn days. When given the chance, I like to take full advantage of this “Indian Summer” from a seat on my favourite waterside terrace. ’T Boothuis, headquarters of Beernem’s watersport club, is located at the foot of a small yacht harbour in an alcove of the waterway between Ghent and Bruges.
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About a decade ago, couple Frank Baert and Katrien Pauwels took over the old boat house canteen here and transformed it into an amiable restaurant with a stunning view and plenty of outdoor seating. Inside, the A-framed dining room, with its abundant wood panelling and long bar, gives the place a cosy chalet feel – the ideal spot to also warm up during those long winter months with, say, pancakes and hot chocolate.
Try to visit now, though, because Frank knows how to work magic on the grill. His ribeye of Hereford beef is hands-down the best I’ve ever tasted: seared to perfection, with crispy fat trimming and a rosy centre. It comes with your choice of creamy homemade sauce (the classics: pepper, béarnaise, Provençal or mushroom), golden fries and a fresh salad of lettuce, watercress, radish, tomato, cucumber, grated carrot and a dollop of mayo.
While it’s hard for me to understand why anyone would order anything but the ribeye, some members of my family are visibly enjoying their orders of shrimp croquettes, scampi and sole fillet. Admittedly, the croquettes are nicely crunchy and bursting with little pink shrimp, the hefty fillets of sole are pan-fried and golden brown, and the scampis are big and juicy.
Katrien comes by often to make sure we never go without a thing, and she brings it all with a genuine smile. We’re so enticed to stay a little longer, we order a round of coffees with dessert: scrumptious warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream, and a dame blanche (ice cream sundae with melted chocolate and – in this case – billows of whipped cream).
The bill comes to a more than reasonable €20 per person, or around €30 for us steak-lovers.
www.tboothuis.com
Tip for the weekend:
This Saturday, 14 September, combine a visit to ’t Boothuis with a lively spectacle on the water: The O’Neill Belgian Wakeboarding Championship kicks off at 15.00, with finals around 17.00. The event features a string of wakeboarders, zipping up and down the canal behind speed boats while manoeuvring around various obstacles and showing off their skills in the form of jumps, spins and other exciting tricks. www.bwsv.be
Oude Vaartstraat 7a, Beernem (West Flanders); 050.82.29.68
11.00-23.00 Tue-Sun (April-October); 11.00-23.00 Thurs-Sun (November-February)
Mains: €13-€23
The best grilled ribeye in Flanders and more, served in the homey atmosphere of a waterside chalet
About the author
Beer & Food Writer
