Bistro du Châtelet

Crossing the road in Habay (Habay Road, get it?) are not four dapper fellows but the thick-as-thieves sibling trio of Adrien, Lola and Alix Vuylsteke, who sure look like they mean business. On the edge of Châtelet park in a space rented out by the town hall, rather thanklessly done up with lots of big windows, tiled walls and wooden details, brother Adrien (who sharpened his knives at Florent Ladeyn’s Bloempot in Lille) makes some noise on the mandolin, rather than the guitar. Neither fussy, nor radical, the menu of this inclusive bistro (think family-friendly vibes at lunch, carefully playlisted sounds at dinner) features a mix of “pik’assiettes,” aka sharing plates (like country pâté or falafel), and dishes of the moment named after friends (Madeleine, Davy, Julien…), that flirt with the familiar local terroir (Liége-style meatballs, darn good local smoked trout quenelles), as well as other rarities for this neck of the woods: vegetarian dishes (chickpea and veg curry, spaghetti squash from the Jardin d’Heyden stuffed with quinoa). For us? That lunchtime, we chewed the fat over some beautifully glistening stuffed cabbage with a pork and beef filling, sitting pretty with a creamy pumpkin purée and a sprinkling of piment d’Espelette, followed by a chocolate cake (that was a little on the lava side). // Frans Simoens

FEELING THIRSTY? Rather than order something from the so-so wine list, featuring options like a Vacqueyras Prélude cuvée (€36 a bottle), opt for the local craft beers, like Rulles (€3.50 for 330 ml) and Lupulus Hopera (€4.50), or even MilleVertus lemonade (€3.50).
PRICE: À la carte €39-53.