The storefront is red, the tablecloths are gingham, the produce is often locally sourced, the walls are scrawled with the autographs of stars who’ve popped in for a bite while passing through Namur, and the ambiance ebbs and flows depending on boss Dominique Renson’s mood. For the past 36 years, he’s been giving traditional Lyonnaise bouchons a run for their money, with dishes like: Beuzet Gros Gris snails served Namur-style braised in beer or veal sweetbreads with morel mushrooms, two wonderfully sauce-y starters topped with a pastry croustade that sure sent us into a tizzy; followed by a 300-gram Irish rib-eye steak served with the local specialty sauce Sambre et Meuse (a creamy tarragon and tomato sauce), a side of fries cooked in beef fat, plus homemade mayo; or – unless you prefer pig’s snout, the house specialty, if that floats your boat – humongous knuckle of ham, so perfectly cooked it could bring a tear to your eye, served with a Bister mustard sauce as an epitaph; and a baba au rhum with Malaga raisin ice cream that promised to be “epic” – but despite our best efforts, our bellies were full. Lovers of vegetables and moderate portions, walk on by. // Idoine Gérard
FEELING THIRSTY? Florange, a homemade aperitif made from white wine macerated with spices and citrus zest (€9), beers (a local La Houppe lager at €12 for 750 ml, or Saxo a triple lager from Caracole at €5 for 330 ml), wines (sometimes natural, often French) and sage advice: a Saint Mont Béret Blanc (€24 a bottle) and, as the Domaine du Siestou minervois was out of stock (€29), a Portuguese Dão from Casa de Santar, which was a little more full on (same price); no wines by the glass, but house wine served as pay what you drink.
PRICE: Menu €27 (lunch), à la carte €52-70.
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