Restaurant Session (in Lommel, Belgium): Cuchara

For lunch, we went to Lommel to one of our favorite restaurants: Cuchara✨✨ from chef Jan Tournier.

They also have a terrace. But actually it was so warm that we decided to stay inside enjoying the air conditioner 😊

We love the decoration.

 

On the big urn, the menu.

 

The black wall - an artwork from Esther Barend.

The glass chandelier is also a piece of art.

I had an Aperitief Chuchara (I think 😊), with yuzu, bergamot, Granny Smith apple and vodka.

[Aperitief op basis van Yuzu, Bergamot, Granny Smith appel and vodka]

 

Roger had the non-alcoholic aperitif: Everleaf Tonic "Marine" 0%. With bergamot, kelp and sand horn.

[Bergamot, kelp and zanddorn] 

The first dish of the lunch menu: tomato. The tomato soup had so much flavour!

 

Eel.

Dexter style cutlery holder 😊

 

Poor Roger. We did the bandage every day new, but he still need to use it for some days to protect the stitches.

 

Lobster.

Delicious!

 

 

This dish is a potato mille-feuille with bacon. A homage to his granny and really good! 😋

 

Spelt bread with...

 

 

...a cauliflower dip.

 

For the next dishes, I had a glass of 2021 Niederberg Helden Riesling GG from Schloss Lieser Thomas Haag.

 

Roger had a mocktail.

The menu would normally continue with lobster and then lam. As we don't like to eat lam, they did a change for us: instead of the lam, we got the lobster as main dish. And replacing the lobster as starter, we got the tuna. We loved it 😍

 

Tuna. This dish is amazing!

 

Quick view to the station where the dishes are plated.

 

As main dish, the lobster. Excellent!

 

As dessert, Dame Blanche. The fine chocolate crackers are not my favorite.

 

To finish, espresso and praliné as gourmandise.

 

As well as a sweet surprise 😊

As always, an excellent gastronomic experience!

 

Jun 16th, 2023.

Restaurant Session (in Wittem, Netherlands): Julemont

By end of April, we went for a Saturday lunch at restaurant Julemont✨✨from chef Guido Braeken at Chateau Wittem. Great dishes, beautiful wine pairing, very friendly and competent service: always a joy to be back!

 

Starting at the lounge, with a glass of champagne Jacquesson 746 and some appetizers.

 

 

Oyster.

 

View from our table. Love this dinning room!

 

Beautiful flower!

 

The amuse bouche, prepared at the table.

 

Bread, butter and the delicious brioche to share.

 

The first dish: Japanese Hamachi, sesame, ponzu, radish and Imperial Heritage Caviar.

 

Beautiful plating!

 

Pairing with the hamachi, a glass of 2020 Riesling Goldberg from Château Pauqué. Very nice!

 

Kagoshima wagyu, unagi, black garlic, onion and Hollandaice sauce. Excellent!

 

Breton turbot - eel, dashi, fermented white asparagus and shiro kombu.

 

With the turbot, a glass of 2020 Ozyetra from Weingut Von Winning.

 

Sea bass, Eastern scheldt lobster, mala coconut and tandoori masala. Great dish!

With the sea bass, a glass of 2019 Marsannier from Weingut Knipser. Perfect pairing!

Roger enjoyed the non-alcoholic pairing.

 

As main dish, lamb with green curry, morels, tarragon and lime.

 

Sweet time! Raspberry with goat yogurt, shiso, basil and caramelised white chocolate.

 

We went back to the lounge for coffee and gourmandises. Macarons, tartlets...

 

...white chocolate twix and...

 

...jelly (that Roger enjoys, I don't 😊).

 

Apr 29th, 2023.

Restaurant Session (in Wittem, Netherlands): Julemont

In the evening, we went to restaurant Julemont🌟(at our hotel) from chef Guido Braeken. At the bar, we started with an aperitif - Kir Royal for me, a Belsazar Dry White for Roger - and some...

 

...appetizers.

 

Tomato tartlet, Parmesan foam and basil pearls.

 

Time to move to our table in...

 

...the dinning room. Beautiful chandelier!

 

Our table.

 

As amuse bouche, a variation of foie gras and beetroot.

 

Including a beetroot macaron with foie gras filling. Very good!

Starting our menu, balfegó chutoro, passionfruit, oyster, sambai and Imperial Heritage caviar. 

It came prepared in two dishes.
 

Pairing with the first dish, a glass of 2017 Riesling Sous la Roche-Rue from Chateau Pauque. 

As second course, kagoshima wagyu: as tartare with unagi wrapped on two stripes, black garlic, puffed onion and hollandaice sauce. So full of flavour!!

 

Pairing with the wagyu, a glass of 2018 Meursault Les Malpoiriers from Domaine Changarnier.

 

Sea bass, yuzu, mussels, miso, pumpkin.

 

Pairing with the sea bass, 2019 Le Clos de la Meslerie from Peter Hahn.

As fourth dish, turbot, porcini mushroom, vin jaune, parsley root, brioche - and complemented with 3 grams of white truffle on top. Great sauce, loved it!

Pairing with the turbot, a glass of 2018 Marsannier from Weingut Knipser. Very nice!

The signature dish: Norwegian lobster, sepia, tandoori, coconut, basil. Excellent!

 

As main dish, roe, jerusalem artishoke, hazelnut, mole and fig. 

With the main dish, a glass of 2000 Gaston Hochar from Chateau Musar.

 

Dessert time! Valrhona chocolate, sea buckthorn, pecan nut, banana.

 

Nov 16th, 2022.