restaurant

Vilain

Vilain Restaurant (Charleroi)

© PRYZM photography

  • Date
  • share

How sweet it is to be villainous at Vilain! In their opulent 1920s space (an original glass ceiling, terrazzo tile floors, a luxurious garden), youngsters Antoine Château (ex-Garage à Manger and Winery Brugmann in Brussels) and Margaux Balériaux advocate for peasant cuisine and a love of carefully-sourced ingredients. What should you expect, exactly? Diabolically good small plates and clean wines! Shared the night we went: a spellbinding pea hummus topped with feta and pickles; dry-aged Holstein beef carpaccio, smoked and then hand-sliced thin; swordfish mi-cuit with chimichurri that had us practically licking the bowl clean; Machiavellian pajeons (small Korean crepes) with cauliflower and peanut sauce; and a wickedly good Breton shortbread with pear, plus thyme sorbet – made with herbs collected from around the house. The ultimate devilish treat? Burger night, one Wednesday a month! And for those who like to indulge in carnal pleasures without prying eyes, the house also boasts a hidden dining room that seats four to eight guests. // Monica Noli

FEELING THIRSTY? Around 30 organic or natural red and white wines, like a Venetian pinot grigio produced by Savian (€6 a glass), a biodynamic Namur chardonnay from the Domaine La Falize (€79 a bottle) or a Cheverny from the Domaine Tessier – where Antoine grew up – at €33. Along with a beer of the month and Belgian Gouden Carolus whisky (€9 a glass).
PRICE: Small plates €9-25, cheese plate €12, desserts €8-9.

Save this spot in the Fooding app, available on iOS! Download it now in the app store.

The Belgium Guide 2024 is out of the oven!

Discover the latest selection of the Kingdom’s 350 best addresses (restaurants, bars, cellars, shops and bedrooms), an award’s list celebrating this year’s favorite spots, and a magazine section featuring « Belgium Underground » exploring the margins of the food world, its hidden stories and some of its most taboo subjects.

2024 Le Fooding Belgium guide frontcover
I want it!
About

Le Fooding is a print and digital guide to all the restaurants, chefs, bars, stylish hotels and B&Bs that make up the “taste of the times,” plus an annual awards list for new establishments across France, a series of gastronomic events, a tool that allow you to make reservations at some fantastic bistros, and an agency specialized in event planning, content production and consulting… And after conquering France, Belgium is Le Fooding guide’s latest playground!

Fooding® is a registered trademark.