Upholstered armchairs, an upright piano, a glass roof with a timber frame, a large outdoor garden area: it’s here in this muted, borderline pretentious setting that chef Gert Cordemans enjoys tickling Leuven locals’ taste buds. The day we went for lunch, after a trio of amuse-bouches to get the appetite rolling, he came at us full steam ahead with some dazzling dishes: Japanese amberjack ceviche, ramenasse black radish and verjus, together all delicately explosive; sea bass cooked to perfection and served levitating on a cloud of peas with thyme; fresh homemade tagliatelle that were by the book, enhanced with king crab meat and herbs galore; followed by the star of the show, high-flying pigeon breast with a full-bodied jus, sitting pretty with asparagus, wild garlic and shitake mushrooms. Before finishing on a sweet note with tangy rhubarb millefeuille that was on the right side of sour, with vanilla cream and wild rose sorbet. // Barbara Gù

FEELING THIRSTY? Around a hundred wine references, featuring both conventional and natural options (a Hungarian white from Attila Homonna at €48 a bottle, or a red Auxey-Duresses from Agnès Paquet, €84), as well an alcohol-free spritz made with Nona bitters, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and soda water (€9.50).

PRICE: Menus €40-53 (weekday lunch), €85-98 (5-6 courses).