Batch

Say goodbye to the outdated Ba.Ba Bagel and its round little sign, and hello to Batch with its inevitable dose of aluminum, steel, wood and glass, reflecting the taste of the times. The architects at Erased Studio weaved their magic on this all-day café which now boasts a long, zinc-topped counter, Belgian-designed Vormen stools and a glass brick wall. Here you’ll find the boss Hadrien de Vaucleroy (ex-Chalet de la Forêt and Ötap) bringing it all together with a mix of traditional and contemporary cuisine, from breakfast (œuf parfait with kale, bread and salmon trout) to small plates at dinner (steak tartare with caramelized onions, mushroom-stuffed cabbage), as well as some easy-going lunch fare, like stuffed focaccias, salads and soups. On the weekend, Batch applies the same formula as the late Ötap, with a brunch that’s anything but Sex and the City: impeccable scrambled eggs crowned with fresh herbs, overflowing atop a chunk of crusty bread from Brood; more eggs, this time cooked low and slow and covered with a creamy butternut squash velouté pimped up with labneh, hazelnuts, rosemary and dukkah; and some exquisite homemade granola under a generous dollop of yoghurt, with a zhuzh of chia pudding and a caramelized pear compote. // Jeanne Jaco

FEELING THIRSTY? Hot beverages during the day, including a Batch brew roasted by Velvet Specialty Coffee Roasters in Jodoigne, €4), as well as an army of soft drinks (like the homemade spicy soda made from Oye Yaar turmeric and ginger concentrate, same price); and at night, Velvet Espresso Martini (€13), Elegast cider (6.50 for 330 ml), or Puszta Libre red wine from Claus Preisinger (€38).

PRICE: Breakfast €4-12, lunch €10-12, brunch €10-16 (Saturday and Sunday), apéro €5-12, dinner €10-19.