I first heard of the restaurant Beurre Noisette at the most recent edition of Culinaria (read review here), so when I stumbled upon the restaurant in the popular Chatelain area, I stepped in to see what else Chef Gregoire De Backer had to offer.
The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating, and was only at about 25-30% capacity at lunch time, which might account for why service was quite fast and we got our orders within 10 minutes of being seated.
In a nutshell
The quality of the food definitely falls under the category of fine dining, and at that, one of the best in the Chatelain neighborhood (particularly since the one-star Bistrot du Mail sadly closed several years ago). The prices also match the “fine dining” tag, with main courses ranging from EUR 28 to EUR 32 (see menu below or on the restaurant’s website). You can, however, get away with a meal for just EUR 15 (with a glass of wine) if you have the lunch special.
A quick food review
The lunch special: beef with fries, salad and a glass of wine. Good value at EUR15. Good execution of the beef brochette cooked a point, and one of the tastiest and freshest salads I have had in Brussels (it was just too bad it was not bigger). A fine version of your everyday bistrot dish. The one disappointment: a glass of a red wine that had been open for a while and was not even presented to us (as house wine or its actual denomination) by the waiting staff.
The fish (pictured below and second item listed under the main courses on the menu) was perfectly cooked to keep it tender and juicy, and was accompanied by a fresh and generous serving of mixed vegetables, equally well prepared with a savory, light sauce, as well as superbly cooked squid. A great fish dish worth its EUR 28.
A few more comments
- Beurre Noisette serves excellent bread. Some butter to go with it would make it even better… Strange that they did not have any.
- The restaurant was at Culinaria, but it is not a Michelin-star restaurant. The atmosphere is casual and the service is friendly, but the staff is not trained to Michelin standards.
- The pricing makes it a special occasion dining spot, as a whole meal a la carte with entree, main course and dessert for two (no wine) would run a tab of around EUR 120 (!)
- For better value, pick one of the menus / specials. But you might have to ask about them, as the staff merely handed the menus to us without any explanation.
- If you are debating between Beurre Noisette and the popular classic La Quincaillerie right across the street, pick the latter for ambiance and history (i.e., popular with your out-of-town guests) and the former for the food.
- Will go back? Yes, I am curious to see how the lunch special changes day to day… Please comment to share your views if you have been!
The restaurant
Beurre Noisette
Rue du Page 38
1050 Brussels
http://www.beurrenoisette.be/
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