Marlu

After a few years at Jour de Fête in central Brussels, a stint in corpore sano at the now-shuttered Dôme and a few months at the pop-up restaurant Lobster spent grilling said crustacean, Julien Van Den Neste is once again putting down roots with the veggie-forward cuisine that earned him a reputation as a gentle green giant. In the Flemish town of Rhode-Saint-Genèse, Marc De Ridder (ex-Oui Oui and Jules & Charles) welcomed him with open arms into an elegant eatery designed by the architectural duo Sadé (leather-like parquet flooring like you’d see in Marrakesh, tadelakt plaster walls, a terrazzo tile bar). And Marlu is always buzzing, like a scene from a Buñuel film, where the discreet charm of the faubourgeoisie is on full display, as guests are delighted to be spared the burden of choice – lunch kicks off with a set starter course, followed by either a meat, fish or vegetarian main, as does the set dinner menu, which also includes an amuse-bouche and a second appetizer. The other day at lunch, that meant a kohlrabi and scallop carpaccio with caramelized red onion jelly, edamame powder and pickled kumquat; a fillet of turbot cooked on the bone and served in a dashi broth loaded with legumes, plus slow-cooked beets and buttery braised endives; before the dessert course (not included in the set menu), an apple shortbread with maple syrup and vanilla cream. // Frans Simoens

FEELING THIRSTY? In a corner of Belgium where people reach for their bottles of Roundup at the mere mention of the term “natural wine,” in addition to a very old-fashioned chardonnay from Nuiton-Beaunoy (€7.50 a glass), you’ll find a few welcome gems from low-intervention producers, including a morgon by Georges Descombes (€49 a bottle) and L’Amourette, a sauvignon-chenin blend (€34).
PRICE: Set menus at lunch €25, and dinner €39 (one amuse-bouche + two appetizers + one main), desserts €9.