Restaurant Session (in Dilsen Stokken, Belgium): Vivendum

For my pre-birthday dinner (yes, that does exist :-D ), Roger had reserved a stay at Hotel Sonnora (I was very much looking forward to dinner). But 10 minutes before taking the road, we got a call saying that everything had to be closed for some days due to a Covid case. Ok, change of plans: find a restaurant available for dinner, for the same day, on a Friday evening, in the beginning of December - GO! And mission accomplished: we got lucky to still get a table available at restaurant Vivendum✨ from chef Alex Clevers, in Dilsen Stokken (Belgium).

Our table.

 

Butter, olive oil and salt already at the table.

 

With the aperitif, some amuse bouche: madeleine with fish and olives, tartellete with smoked eel and aubergine and...

...Parmesan leave.

 

Delicious!

 

Oyster as second amuse bouche.

 

Warm bread, butter and olive oil.

 

As first dish, scallops with coconut, calamansi, cauliflower and avocado. Very nice!

[Sint-Jacobscrucht | kokos | kalamansi | boemkool | avocado]

 

Pairing with the scallops, a glass of Ried Wora Riesling from Weinhof Grill.

 

Ravioli with porcini mushrooms, jerusalem artishoke and truffles. The sauce was great!

[Ravioli eekhoorntjesbrood | aardpeer | truffel]

 

A glass of 2019 Silvaner from Weinbau Hans Wirsching.

 

As third dish, turbot, caponata, pancetta, mongeta del ganxet beans and bell pepper jus. Very nice dish, full of flavour! 

[Tarbot | caponata | pancetta | Mongeta del ganxet boontjes | paprika jus]

With the turbot, a glass of 2020 Allez Sante Branco from Niepoort.

 

Roger's main dish: venison, quince, celeriac, blackberry, black pudding and a praline of foie gras.

[Hertenrugfilet | kweepeer | knolselder | braambes | bloedworst | ganzenlever | jus braam- en jeneverbes]

I asked if there was an alternative for venison in the menu, and got a very nice sea bass with an amazing sauce!

 

With the main dish, a glass of 2018 Giovanni from Weingut Johann Gisperg.

 

Time for dessert: we chose the classic Dame Blanche. Great ice cream, delicious chocolate sauce.

[Dame Blance | à la minute gedraald vanille-ijs]

 

And crunchy biscuits to dunk into the ice cream.

 

With the Dame Blanche, a glass of Moscatel from Gutierrez Colosia,

 

 

To finish a nice dinner, espresso macchiato and a great variation of gourmandises. Pralines...

 

...mini tarteletes and...

...mini cakes.

Dec 3rd, 2021.