Who would have thought that Boeschepe, a rural town in French Flanders, would harbor a hidden gem like Le Vert Mont? And yet that’s where Lille’s favorite chef, Florent Ladeyn, is taking us! He’s got a knack for making any ingredient from the Nord department seem appetizing. And this family inn (untreated hardwood floors, a white bar, golden chandeliers) simply proves it, as the ultra-locavore chef livens up cabbages, chicories & co. The day we went for lunch: a very sexy kohlrabi roll on a bed of organic goat cheese from Uxem; perfectly roasted plaice paired with peas, onions and sunflowers; a devilishly good cone of fries with a Maroilles cheese espuma and onion ash; before a hearty combo of rhubarb, dulce de leche and oxalis blossoms to round out the meal. // Léa Pellerin
FEELING THIRSTY? Only clean options: a juniper beer from the chef’s Lille restaurant Bierbuik (€4); Pierre Rousses, an elegant Vouvray from the Bretons (€8 a glass); Rose à Lies, a Loire bubbly from Jousset (€7); Patchwork, an Arbois white from the Tissots (€40 a bottle); Cuvée 910, a Mâcon Cruzille red from Julien Guillot (€70); or even a “chicafé” made with chicory, malt and sunflower (€3).
PRICE: Menu €25 (weekday lunch), €40 (food and wine pairings +€20) and €60 (+€30).
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