Already well into their twenties, Lucas Tricot (the chef, formerly of Les Oiseaux) and Élisa Rodriguez (the pastry chef) really thrive in the kitchen of this Lille restaurant (an ornate facade, sober contemporary furniture) that always seems to be packed. Their through line? Exceptional products that show off the Flanders terroir on the polychromatic plates. For us, the night we went: refreshing smoked coalfish with cucumber, and dill ice cream; pollack fillet with smoked endives, sauce américaine and chicory; incredibly tender slow-cooked beef with wild asparagus, peas and smoked eel – the chef’s passion; before the unmissable desserts, featuring chocolate lava cake perfectly paired with siphoned toast cream and almond milk ice cream; and rhubarb poached with lemon verbena, vanilla diplomat cream, crumble topping and hibiscus, striking a perfect balance between acidity and bitterness. // Sofia Sétif
FEELING THIRSTY? Le Démesure, a Languedoc Chenin from Aurélien Petit or a Beaujolais-Villages from the Domaine des Nugues served by the glass (€8), extra-dry Champagne from Lelarge-Pugeot (€55 a bottle), an elegant natural Burgundy Pinot noir from the Domaine MIA (€48).
PRICE: Menus €24-30 (lunch) and €49 (dinner), à la carte €38-42.
