Steeg is the kind of restaurant that tastes like a hidden back street and a well-kept secret. Tucked away in a discreet corner of Dendermonde, this neo-gastronomic hideaway doesn’t make a fuss, but everything it serves speaks volumes. In the kitchen, it’s all about the craft. No magic powders or pointless foams. The ingredients do the heavy lifting, the cooking is spot on and every plate has something meaningful to say. And as for the service, it’s understated and sharp, just like the space itself. The day we went, lunch kicked off with: white asparagus, tender as sweet nothings, draped in a buttery hollandaise sauce with a blood orange twist – a totally unexpected, bold flavor bomb landing somewhere between Flanders and the Mediterranean; across the table, a delightfully golden chicken supreme gleaming like a mid-summer’s day, lounging on a cloud of mashed potato, with a tousle of zucchini and garden peas so sweet they felt picked in slow motion. // Gordon Bleu

FEELING THIRSTY? A rather traditional drinks menu: A Bourgogne-passe-tout-grains (€10 a glass), the entire range of 3 Fonteinen beers (€22-49) and a special mention for the Belgian-made De Cort pastis (€10).

PRICE: Set menus €35-45 (lunch) and €70 (dinner), food and wine pairing €27.