Discount code for Harmoni standing desk converter

Tired of sitting all day in front of the computer? A few friends have recently bought this standing desk converter by Harmoni desk. Unlike other items with the same use, this one is different in that it has no plastic or metal – only wood. Not even instructions to assemble as it’s so straightforward (hint, hint, IKEA!) 

For a €10 discount off your Harmoni desk order, Use promo code JKT9CD at harmonidesk.com #standingdeskconverter #standingdesk #harmonidesk 

Bûche de Noël from Yasushi Sasaki

Where are you getting your bûche de Noël this year? This special occasion might well be the perfect excuse to splurge a bit and visit what might be the best patisserie in Brussels: Yasushi Sasaki (see old post here.)

There are three different types of bûches and two holiday cakes to choose from and which include some of his “top hits” which usually are sold as cakes. The price is €5.50 per serving with a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 12 servings per bûche.

The deadline for Christmas has passed (sorry, was too busy at work to post but luckily managed to order!) but you can still order one for New Year’s as long as you do so before the 29th of December. Details can be found on his site. 

Enjoy and happy holidays!

WY restaurant at the Sablon

I finally got around to trying this restaurant which has been nestled in the Mercedes House Sablon corner shop for many years now, boasting one Michelin star already from early on (chef Bart De Pooter is a two star chef as noted on the restaurant website, but this restaurant only has one star.) 

One of the highlights was the staff, which was very friendly and accommodating and the service throughout the meal was excellent.

Now, to the food: Besides ordering à la carte you can pick from the six-item menu (two appetizers, two main courses and two desserts) to have a 3-course lunch for €47, or pick 4 courses for €63, 5 out of the 6 for €78 or all 6 of them for €93. 

Let’s take a look at the meal:

We were greeted by a set of appetizers: coconut milk woth shrimp, curry for the breadsticks, and a seafood waffle

Nice presentation but not much quantity

Close-up shot of the bite-sized waffle

While waiting for the order, this soy-flavored seafood amuse-bouche was presented. Unfortunately it fell apart so I did not experience the mix of flavors in a single bite…

More to make the wait more amenable: bread with herring mousse and lightly salted butter

Smoked Holstein beef with mushroom salad and ice cream

Grilled squid with aubergine dip and peanut crunch served with a pepper sauce. The squid was a bit harder than it should have been and I found the red pepper overpowering . Still enjoyed it though.

Lemon sole with butternut, shellfish, barley and a light parmesan sauce. Nice combination but short of spectacular. The fish failed to melt in my mouth they way it does at Kamo or Chalet de la Foret, for instance. Still an enjoyable dish.

Chocolate mousse with mixed nut crumble. I wish this had been more than just a few bites.

I wouldn’t say the meal was great value as the portions were on the small side, but it was an agreeable lunch with good (albeit not amazing) food (my dining buddy was surprised to hear this had one Michelin star as there are other amazing places that have none but offer a wow experience). The restaurant acoustic was less than ideal for an intimate meal, as was the table layout which seems more appropriate for people watching (we were indeed watched and were watching others throughout the meal). The lighting also felt spotty and a bit of an annoyance for picture-taking (but we won’t hold that against them of course – just a heads-up if you’re taking photos of your food…) 

Overall, it was a nice meal but short of being a life-changing, memorable experience. I might go back for a business lunch, but if I’m the area, would probably choose instead to go to the nearby San Sablon for a much more moderately priced lunch, which my tastebuds also found a bit more refreshing. (Different customers too… the WY crowd was probably on average 15 years older than the San Sablon crowd, which also explains the difference in pricing.) 

Open for lunch and dinner from Monday to Saturday. 

Rue Bodenbroek 22-24 (Grand Sablon)

Book online 

SAN Sablon – Relish in this fantastic Michelin-Chef creation for €28

I have a new favorite lunch spot in Brussels, and those of you who have been following this blog will know that’s a pretty serious statement. 

SAN Sablon serves an amazing lunch for an unbelievably well-spent €28. This is what happens when a great chef – Sang-hoon Degeimbre from the two Michelin star L’air du temps – decides to open a restaurant in the city just for fun. (This is his second restaurant in Brussels, the other one being SAN Bruxelles on rue de Flandre, featuring the same concept). Although Chef Degeimbre is not in the kitchen, he oversees the creation of the dishes, which are then beautifully executed by his team (of which we saw three kitchen staff and two waiting tables).

Lunch is simple and relatively fast, as summarized on the website and menu (drinks other than the juice and coffee are not included in the €28 and I’d recommend choosing the dessert and the soup as menu options rather than the drinks): 

But let’s take a look at the photos for a more pictorial (and mouth-watering!) review: 

The restaurant offically seats 40 people (although it was only set up for 30 when we went) and has an elegant, modern and stylish decor

SAN Sablon is on rue Joseph Stevens, just off the Sablon and on the same street as the popular Pistolet and Brussels classic Skievelat

The concept: the meal is served in bowls and eaten with a spoon

Bread and butter to greet you and make the (short) wait more amenable

 

All bowls (except the one with dessert) are brought to the table simultaneously. The menu changes every month (if I understood correctly).

Salmon with greek orzo pasta and mushrooms in a deliciously light and refreshing citrus-based sauce

Hake tempura

This is what the delicious hake tempura looked like inside. The tempura was light and crunchy, just like it’s supposed to be

Lacto-fermented vegetables

This was a smooth and delicious lamb cream with crunchy vegetables mixed in

Kumquat madeleine accompanied by a granita of clementine and other fruits

View of the kitchen and bar seating

Drinks menu

Wine list

A few remarks especially for business lunches and families with children: 

• As promised, the main part of the meal was served quickly and we were done in 30 minutes. However, dessert took a bit long to get out, maybe because the restaurant was filling up, so in the end it took almost an hour for the lunch.
• Book a table for noon (opening time) to get faster service.
• The food is delicious but probably not appealing to most kids (other than the dessert), but the staff is friendly and have no problem letting you order just for the adults.
• They don’t take credit cards so make sure you carry enough cash.
• The open kitchen doesn’t have the best ventilation system so your clothes will smell like food after your meal… Something to keep in mind if you’re having a client meeting in the afternoon.

All in all, this has been a fantastic find, and I’m already planning the next meal there (need to check on consistency of quality of course… But I could easily make up another excuse to go back! ;))

SAN Sablon – Rue Joseph Stevens 12 – 1000 Brussels 

Reservations online or by phone tel:+32 2 512 42 12

Open from Thursday to Monday. Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. Lunch menu served only on weekdays. Evenings and weekends only €55 menu available. 

Brunch at La vita è bella

Savory menu includes eggs, bacon, vegetables, potatoes, lasagna; sample of homemade cakes

 

UPDATE 2017: The brunch has been discountinued permanently. 

There’s a great new brunch in town – an Italian brunch run by Italians in a wine bar/restaurant just off Place Jourdan on rue Froissart. 

The restaurant seats about 35-40 people and is decorated in a simple and sleek way with large windows that let lots of natural light in (nice even in autumn’s grey and gloom…)

But on to the food… You basically have two different brunch menus: a sweet buffet breakfast (€12) that includes:

• Buffet bar of bread, croissants and other pastries
• A selection of homemade cakes 
• A basket of butter, jam and Nutella
• An orange juice, hot drink (coffee or tea) and a cold drink

The second option is the savory menu (€22) which includes all of the above, plus:

• A plate of hot food including eggs of your choice (frittata pictured below), a selection of seasonal vegetables (all cooked. The tomatoes were amazing!), bacon, and salmon (which we did not order)
• A small portion of homemade lasagna

(I think that was it but can’t be 100% sure as there was no written menu yet to be found and I’m not sure I followed the whole description of the brunch concept…) But anyway, we went for the big menu and were happy we did so because although the sweet items are good (don’t miss the delicious cakes!), what really stands out and sets this place apart from others is the quality and the generous portions of the savory items. It almost feels like your Mamma or Nonna is making breakfast for you at home. And for the price, which unlike many other brunch venues in town already includes drinks, this is a really good deal.

The place is also perfect for families with small children: the staff is very friendly and accommodating, the food is healthy and homemade, and small kids eat for less (or for free if they’re under 5, which makes sense unlike in other places like the popular La Fabrique, which charges full price to tiny kids who will barely eat!). On top of that, La Vita e Bella also has some high chairs and a changing station for babies.

Maybe we were extra lucky because we went during the opening weekend and they were trying to impress, but I will certainly be going back to this Sunday brunch which has instantly become one of my favorites in town!

La Vita è Bella – rue Froissart 43, 1040 Brussels

Sunday brunch from 10:30 to 15:30, on select Sundays only. See Facebook page for more details and scheduling. 

They also open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from Monday to Friday, and do catering and private events. 

View of the restaurant from the back

drinks, bread, butter, jams and nutella

sample platter of homemade cakes (chocolate, apple, some other fruit)

my eating buddy couldn’t eat the lasagna after finishing this…

Hello again

It’s been a long while and it’s not that I abandoned the blogosphere (I have mostly been on Twitter though @lifeinbxl) but it’s just that most of my dining experiences have been somewhat underwhelming, or not inspiring enough to write a full post. (Fine, inspiration was also low due to lots of work and a very busy schedule!) 

There are a few places worth mentioning and I will be featuring them here in the coming weeks… One of them is the little-covered Sofitel Crystal Lounge Sunday brunch, which is likely the most expensive but also the best brunch in town, and there is also a new Italian brunch spot I was impressed by… So stay tuned!