Tim and Inge Boury have taken some two years to turn a large house in Roeselare into an absolutely stunning new location for their Michelin starred restaurant Boury. GaultMillau awarded them a very nice, well deserved 17/20. 
As if to match the upgraded interior, Tim Boury spent lots of time to push his cooking further and bring it, yet again, to a higher level. The meal we had today was for sure nothing short of top class for Belgium…and beyond. 

From the outside sitting area to the impressive, airy and light dining room to the spectacular open kitchen it blows you away. Tim and Inge make no, I repeat NO, concessions…everything here has been thought out perfectly.

Tim’s dishes are creative, but down to earth, of incredibly high technical level and outright delicious…With the new kitchen, Tim now has the space and additional equipment to become a European top restaurant. 

Inge, her brother in law Ben and their dynamic front of house team set the standard very high when it comes to service. Professional, extremely competent, friendly but still perfectly discrete. They see to your every need and they make the whole visit here smooth as silk. 

I think this restaurant should get far more attention than it did until now so I hope that moving to the new location will bring what Tim and Inge deserve, international recognition.

They have one other big asset for the conquest of the international foodie scene: three guestrooms located at the first floor. For visitors from far away or for people who want to indulge in the extensive G&T and/or wine list 😉

Website

Hotel Schanz is a family run hotel with a 2* Michelin restaurant situated in the fabulous Piesport (at the bottom of the unique natural Piesporter Arena). On top of that, the family is also producing some seriously good wines.

Cooking style is modern French, using mainly local ingredients. Nice, creative dishes that are matched with some of the best German wines you can choose from the extensive list. 

What is really incredible here is the pricing of the wines. Some of the older vintages are announced at prices that are unbeatable by current day retail prices. Real bargains to be done here. 
Book a room and let your stay last a bit longer, go for a walk in the absolutely beautiful surroundings and take a tour of the local wineries. After all, this village has the biggest concentration of top appellations in the whole of Germany. 

Website



Finally, my first visit to the culinary wizzkid of Ghent, Marcelo Ballardin…. He started professional cooking only four years ago and opened Oak in Ghent in October 2014, obtaining a 14/20 in GaultMillau’s 2015 guide one month later. Oak seats some 20 people for lunch and dinner in the heart of the historical center of the Flemish town of Ghent.

Having worked at prestigious restaurants like Pure C, Marcelo is not only being a creative mastermind in his own restaurant, he also takes every single opportunity he can come across to learn from fellow chefs all over Europe….remarkable… He’s like a sponge, soaking up all the knowledge he can, continuously improving and fine tuning his cooking style, relentlessly thinking about taking things to the next level.

So what kind of food can you expect when visiting Oak? Marcelo cooks with seasonal, fresh ingredients and has developed a very personal style, excelling in combining flavors and textures in an impressive way…common denominator throughout the meal was also a very precise use of acidity, both in the deliciously fresh non-alcoholic cocktail and in the dishes, including the desserts. Eating at Oak, takes you around the world but without ever becoming eclectic or sloppy, well on the contrary…it’s all about balance and clever pairings.

To me, Oak could very well be one of the best restaurants of Ghent and certainly a visit…if you manage to get in….

I rated my visit 16/20

website

I’ve said it time and time again, this restaurant is second to none when it comes to ingredient sourcing and spot on, clever preparations. Add to that the almost encyclopedic wine knowledge of chef Mikael and the warm welcoming service of Aurélie and you just have to conclude, once more, that you are in THE best restaurant for foodies in London. 
www.hedonerestaurant.com

Zuma London, just love the place for its unique combination of nice foods, tasty sakes, funky atmosphere and the groovy people eating here. Yes, there are better Japanese restaurants, for sure, but hey, there you don’t see as much Loubs and Chanel purses as here 😜😁😂🙃
www.zumarestaurant.com

When you eat in restaurants quite often, it is hard to be genuinely surprised by a concept that really stands out or by a chef who puts a big smile on your face. So, if it happens, it’s something special… Well, that’s exactly how I would describe my latest visit to Gist in Antwerp (chef Dario Puglia). This was my first visit since they moved to their stylish new location in a small street in the heart of the historical centre of this lively city, tucked in between the historical town hall and the banks of the Schelde river.

The dining room is elegant and spacious and offers a nice view on the open kitchen where Dario is in charge of an international kitchen brigade whilst his wife, Mieke is overseeing service and also helps you find the right wines (or beers) to go with the food.

Even though Dario has undeniable Italian roots, his kitchen is not Italian. It’s not Scandinavian, not Spanish, not Belgian, no, it’s simply Dario’s kitchen. I could write long sentences describing the exquisite dishes we had, but hey, I won’t…because Gist is a restaurant you HAVE to visit for yourself…go on, go for the GIST experience…and do get carried away…natural, intuitive cooking doesn’t get any better than this….beautiful, deep flavours, a variety of textures, home made cheese, wonderful wines, good and friendly service and most of all…a lot of love and passion…I think the attached pictures speak pretty much for themselves. Everything was spot on, nothing felt overly complicated or too far fetched.

Oh, and one last thing, I am not a big fan of natural wines, but just try the Sauvignon Blance called “Le bénéfice du Vigneron”…amazeballs….

I’ll be back….for sure…This is a very very good restaurant and most certainly one of the best places in Antwerpen to eat out.

www.restaurantgist.be

Did you know that the first foreign edition of the legendary red guide was the one on Belgium in 1908 and that the introduction of the star system came in 1926, initially with a one star rating, followed by 2 and 3 stars a decade later.
Read more about why in times of crowd sourced reviews, Michelin may well be more relevant than ever. But also, more about the cracks in the system. The untouchable chefs, the geographical inconsistencies.
And of course the financial pressure of maintaining the starred status or the devastating effect of losing a star.
What future lies ahead for the red guide and how do they deal with modern trends…?
All of this and much more in this fine article, with contributions by Michelin expert Andy Hayler.

Absolutely fabulous place to stay in Yerseke. Of course a stay here must be combined with some fine dining and great produce. Make sure to pay Zee/Land/Zilt a visit (walking distance) and Interscaldes (5 minutes drive)…. Let the owners take you on a tour of the premises, which they have transformed, with their own hands, from a former church into their home, a bed and breakfast, meeting rooms and…to be continued….it’s already pretty impressive but once the last steps of the refurb will be finished, it’s going to be AMAZEBALLS….The surroundings guarantee you lots of walking and cycling fun with spectacular views on the Schelde river’s estuary and if you’re a seafood lover you will just go crazy as this is Holland’s lobster, mussel and oyster center. 

In the morning, the owners prepare you an awesomely delicious breakfast with lots of love and fresh fruit 🙂
Last but not least, it was truly magnificent to stay with such open, friendly and welcoming people…a true gem…
Must go when visiting Holland!!!

www.sintanna.com

Sometimes, you just want to eat top ingredients, as fresh as you can get them…no complicated preparations, just plain good stuff. And…if like me, you’re absolutely crazy about seafood, pay a visit to Zee/Land/Zilt in Yerseke, Holland’s epicenter of top quality mussels, oysters and the delicious Oosterschelde lobster. 

Edwin Vinke, the much acclaimed chef patron of De Kromme Watergang (2*), joined forces with a local seafood authority to transform some of the best local seafood into a top foodie experience. Even though they decided to keep the menu quite simple, Edwin is not making any compromises on the concept he and his wife had in mind, with an almost obsessional (but in a good way) eye for detail . From the stunning architectural design of the restaurant, literally perched over the basins full of shellfish being purified, to the clever, contemporary design by Blanche and last but not least, the professional service…everything just breathes class and ambition…Ambition to bring you the best produce the area has to offer, prepared in a way that puts the seafood centre stageplay. Benefiting from a unique location and an inviting terrace, this is for sure a culinary hotspot for all you seafood lovers out there, it’s Ibiza and Zeeland mixed into a delightfully addictive cocktail 😉
 www.zee-land-zilt.nl  

Michaël Vrijmoed is one of the many talented Belgian chefs who gave up their sous-chef position in a 3* restaurant to set up shop for their own. Very successfully so… Indeed, what I particularly like here is that he develops his own style, step by step, at times showing true culinary genius. This report by fellow blogger Frank Be gusto gives a wonderful insight into the Vrijmoed experience. We had a great meal there together a few weeks ago. For sure a chef to watch for the coming decades. 
http://www.be-gusto.be/2016/03/30/vrijmoed-gent-puur-groenten/