Very unexpected, but strange enough I forgot to review one of the most popular restaurants in and around Antwerp, Visited them twice, once for dinner and once for lunch (which is the same, a part from the different starting and finishing time….) First time 6 months after opening somewhere at the end of 2014 and the second time approximate 5 months after this again.

The first time they had 0 Michelin stars, the second time they had 1, and now they even have 2 stars, just 2 years after opening !!! This is all Nick Bril, what a talent, greatness in development. (I hate it that everybody calls it Sergio Herman’s Restaurant since he is just there for marketing while Nick is the real hero, and yes, they are doing this together and they are best friends, but still, I think I know better….)

Just a few things I remember eating (strange enough I often can’t remember where my car keys are or when it is my best friends birthday, but when you ask me what I had for lunch 14 months ago it is easy for me…… the brain is a strange tool…..):

• Creme of 18m ripened old Brugge with pickled veggies
• Seabass – Kalamansi – fennel – dill – horse radish
• saffron paella – mussels – squid and garlic
• Duck – Sour plum – cucumber
• humus – paprika – avocado – corn
• Jerusalem artichoke  – cardamon
• salmon -parsnip – buttermilk – tangerine – oyster – soy – yuzu
• Egg plant – scallop – Iberico ham – potato skin – celery
• Skate – Sambal – squid – “Atjar tjampoer” – blood sausage – hay – sweet onion
• Hare – black oyster plant – quince – vacherin potato
• Rhubarb – chocolate spasm…. – vanilla bean – “verveine”
• Selection of cheese

And probably a way more that I can remember, maybe I even got some thing mixed up….

Good / Bad Points (and I am going to be really harsh but honest because with a 2* restaurant only the best is good enough)!

+++ Location, location, location and so well decorated !!!

+++ Full service, great staff, best ever !!!

+++ Changing menu’s, originality, creativity WOW!

+++ Overall just perfect, one of the best restaurants in the world for a decent price…

—– What happened with the cheese? Terrible…. so basic

—– Nobody cleans my table between the different courses?

—– Why is there pepper and salt on the table? Remove this after the “bread” stage please…..

—– some dishes are too much mushy in structure (perfect in taste) but after the 4th dish with creme and sauce and gel and foam etc. etc. I prefer some extra crunchy structures….

Some pictures for you:

Home made knifes….. luxury!

The perfect G&T and the perfect Ice cubes

Okay Okay, I am not that nice, because seeing these pictures I remember how great my evening was, all critical points are forgotten, at least almost….;-)

Points:

Food: This is some heavy shit, what a level ! So much perfectly balanced acidity, so beautiful like an artist this is Picasso plus…., new combinations you just can’t imagine, this is pure brilliance !!! Having said that, I was so disappointment by the basic cheese selection like Taleggio or Roquefort, really? BORING ! And as said above about the rest of the dishes, give more variety in structure, please, I don’t want baby food all the time…. 9.3 out of 10

Coziness: Just perfect, from the entrance to the kitchen, the toilets and the kitchen, it is all perfect. Cool music great lighting, people please learn from this experience !!! Only 1 reason why I give a 9.9 in stead of a perfect 10, and that is because of the low seats I had in the middle for lunch, I felt like a giant and got a light back pain after 2 hours….. I prefer the regular tables

Staff: Trust me, I like to bitch and I like to mismatch, and I try, but when something is perfect it is PERFECT. Nice, friendly, familiar, smart everything. A 10 out of 10 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Price: Don’t know how it is nowadays, but first visit set us back €140 P.P. which is nothing for this level including cheese and wine, second time we ate less and paid €120 P.P. So for this level this experience I still have to give a solid 9 out of 10 (yes expensive but worth it)

OVERALL one of the best scores on this site: 9.6 out of 10 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!