Restaurant Session (in Voerendaal, Netherlands): De Leuf

 

Starting my birthday celebration one night earlier, we went for dinner to restaurant De Leuf🌟, in Voerendaal, from chef Robin van de Bunt.

 

They renovated the restaurant and the new interior design...

...is beautiful!

 

 

Before going to our table, a welcome drink in a very cool recipient.

 

At the table, original dry flowers on a stone vase.

 

Starting with a glass of Ruinart Brut champagne and some appetizers. Roger had the non-alcoholic version: a Prisecco.

 

Kunquat and red curry.

 

 

Bread and butter.

 

First dish of the menu: Uni, chawanmushi, North Sea crabs, sangchae.

[Uni: Chawanmushi | Nordseekrabbe | Sangchae]

 

Pairing with the first dish, a glass of 'Los Coejos Malditos' Blamco con Madre from Mas Que Vinos.

Roger went with the non-alcoholic pairing. It was excellent!! Executed by Michelle van de Bunt, it is prepared to fit perfectly with each dish, which such attention to detail and great combinations!

 

Here it...

 

...goes. I don't know anymore the ingredients inside, but love the presentation.

 

Getting to meet, face-to-face, our first dish 😪

Gunkan yellowtail, beetroot, kafir, shiso.

Gunkan Yellowtail: Rote Beet | Kaffer | Shiso]

 

 With a sashimi part. This second part of the dish took a veeery long time to arrive - we believe that something must have gone wrong in the kitchen.

With the yellowtail, a glass of Trittenheimer Apotheke Riesling from Weingut Bernhard Eifel, and...

...a glass of sake.

Roger's pairing, including kafir.

 

Scallop, ceviche, saffron. Delicious!

[Jakobsmuschel: Ceviche | Yuzu | Safran]

 

Also in the roasted version with a great sauce.

 

 Pairing with the scallop, a glass of Le Haut de la Garde Anjou Blanc from Chateau Pierre-Bise. 

The pairing from Roger came in a glass...

 

...that had some smoke when the glass would be lifted: not only for the taste buds but also for the nose.

Dish "Like Father, Like Son - Tribute to my Legend". 

Looked great...

 

...tasted excellent, with two...

...oyster preparations.

 

With the oysters, a glass of Mim Natura Brut Reserve.

 Roger's non-alcoholic pairing.

 

The next dish: monkfish, kombu, umeboshi, mushrooms.

[Seeteufel: Kombu | Umeboshi | Pilzen]

It came in two preparations.

 

Pairing with the monkfish, a glass of Jakob D from Weingut Dautel.

And the drink from Roger...

 

...finalized at the table.

 

The main dish from the menu was pigeon. Definitely not our favourite meat, so we got an alternative.

 

 

With the main dish, a glass of 2020 Aremisca from Cantalapiedra Viticultores.

 Roger's drink, with a touch of thymian.

 

Refreshing start for dessert.

[Shoga - 'Refreshing']

 

Sweet time! Sua Chua: coconut, pandan, yoghurt.

[Sua Chua: Kokosnüss | Pandan | Joghurt]

With the dessert, a glass of Gomariz 12.

 

Roger's last drink of his pairing.

 

Espresso macchiato and gourmandises to finish dinner.

 

The dishes were very nice, but it was a very long dinner. We arrived at 19h and left at midnight! When it takes so long, there is a time where you just feel tired and want to leave - and that's a pity, as you don't concentrate anymore in the dishes per se.

 

 

Dec 3rd, 2022.