Little Apo

In the Dam family, it’s all eyes on the daughter, Rosa, who left her parents’ legendary restaurant, Apocalypse, to open Little Apo, a tiny, wood-clad canteen that’s raring to go, a mere stone’s throw from the local town hall. It’s like a little Vietnam, where you can slurp authentic phò soups and gobble up perfect bun bo xao, hearty salads and flavorful skewers – all made with fresh produce and served in small or large portions. That evening, we savored a comforting phò gha, the signature soup with a very rich broth, plus rice noodles and chunks of juicy chicken breast; a reasonable bo ta chanh – beef carpaccio buried under coriander, Thai basil, onions and lime; extremely tender marinated and grilled chicken skewers, dunked in the chef’s special sauce; and an unforgettable Vietnamese coffee crème brûlée. // Alba Nebbioli

FEELING THIRSTY? Lagers from over there (Saigon, Singha and Chang, €3) or from here (Saison de Bruxelles and Weizen Saison from the Brasserie L’Annex, €3.50), a cocktail made with Panda Belgian gin, lychee, lime and ginger (€9.50) and homemade lemonade (€3).

PRICE: Salads €8 to €9.50, soups €12.50 to €13.50, skewers €13.50 to €16 (about half the price for a starter), desserts €6.