Don’t let the name (Love, Eat, Share, Smile) fool you: this neo-bistro in West-Brugge gravitating in the Hertog Jan galaxy is a bit more show off-y than it is kumbaya. Especially when you see the brutalist stronghold (whitewashed walls, exposed ducts, an impressive collection of TBA chairs by Christophe Gevers) in which chef Ruige Vermeire serves cuisine that is anything but sweet and gentle. For us? Bourgeoise cockles with mushrooms and an XXLuxe pork and prawn dumpling, with a Sichuan pepper and peanut mix for added kick. Over on the other table, we also spied: cuttlefish overlapping with lardo, bone marrow and Avruga caviar; Holstein tomahawk steak; okonomiyaki-style crispy potatoes… The most important thing? We loved, we ate, we shared and… we smiled. // Mireille Snowflake
FEELING THIRSTY? Five-glass wine pairings for €54, to go with the Full Monty menu for the total experience or, perhaps more wisely, Bianco, a Sicilian skin-contact wine from Manlio Manganaro (€68 a bottle) and Revolution Tannat, a surprising Uruguayan red by Viña Progression (63 €).
PRICE: Lunch €49, small plates €7-39, à la carte €45-107, Full Monty menu €119.
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