Enjoying the View

Driving home from Hoeve de Bies and enjoying the beautiful landscape.

 

It is also the perfect spot for aeromodeling 😊

 

 

Jul 22nd, 2023.

Restaurant Session (in Sint-Martens-Voeren, Belgium): Hoeve de Bies

On Saturday, we went for lunch at restaurant Hoeve de Bies from chef Maurice Huyne.

 

Such a beautiful terrace! 

 

For the aperitif, we stayed outside. Enjoying the view with a glass of sparkling wine from the region and...

 

...some delicious bites.

 

Smoked celery and miso. So delicious!😋

 

A mini tartlet. 

 

After the aperitif, we went inside.

 

I forgot to take pictures of the menu😟- so no details of the dishes.

 

Smoked salmon.

 

With the first dish, a glass of 2020 Saint Joseph Dimanche à Lima from Julien Pilon. 

 

Langoustine - delicious😋

 

Bread and butter: with beurre noisette that is just perfection😊

 

Venison with mushrooms and beetroot.

 

With the main dish, a glass of 2017 Bönnigheimer Sonnenberg Lemberger from Dautel. 

 

Sweet time! A refreshing dessert with strawberries and crumble.

 

To finish a great lunch, espresso macchiato...

 

...gourmandises and...

 

...a little zabaione😍

 

Jul 22nd, 2023.

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.

Visiting the Radio Forest (Neerpelt, Belgium)

 

After check-out from our hotel, we went to Neerpelt to visit the Radio Forest. It is a radio station, but it also includes several mobile sound installations in the forest, such as the Music Boxes, Whispering Ears and Musiscopes.

  

 Very bucolic place (and interesting😊).

 

Jun 16th, 2023.

Restaurant Session (in Sint-Martens-Voeren, Belgium) : Hoeve de Bies

Sunday lunch at restaurant Hoeve de Bies from chef Maurice Huynen. As the weather was nice, we went outside and...

...enjoyed the terrace! I love that they have a tent now, so there is shade over the tables. 

 

Will never get tired of this view! 

 

The first bites. Celery and miso (I love this one!) and...

 

...little cake with herbs from the garden.

 

The amuse bouche. 

Bread and butter. Including the beurre noisette that I just love 😍

 

As first dish, trout from 'Commanderie 7' with dashi from Voeren, watercress and trout roe.

[Forelle 'Commanderie 7' | Dashi aus Voeren | Brunnenkresse | Forellenrogen]

 

Pairing with the first dish, a glass of 2019 Muscal from Château Bon Baron. I enjoyed it very much!

Roger had the non-alcoholic pairing: very refreshing!

 

Red mullet with artichoke, fennel and ketchup 'Tasty Tom'.

[Rouget Barbet | Artischocken | Fenchel | 'Tasty Tom' Ketchup]

 

With the red mullet, a glass of 2020 Viognier from Maison Baptiste Souillard.

 

'Oosterchelde' lobster with white asparagus, wild garlic musselin and peas.

['Oosterchelde' Hummer | Weisser Spargel | Bärlauch Musselin | Erbse] 

 

Sweetbread with morels, sweet onions and mushrooms. Delicious!

[Kalbsbries | Morchel | Süße Zwiebel | Pilzen] 

 

Pairing with the sweetbread, and also with the main dish, a glass of 2015 Blaufränkish Eisenberg from Schiefer.

Full prepared for the main dish😊

In the menu, there was lamb. We asked it if would be possible to get an alternative, and we swap for sashi from beef with...

...Belgian fries and grilled salad. Perfection!

 

As first dessert, rhubard with strawberries, tarragon, yoghurt mousse and Madagaskar pepper.

[Rhabarber und Erdbeeren | Estragon | Joghurt-Sorbet | Madagaskar Pfeffer]

 

With the dessert, a glass of 2020 Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett from Joh. Jos. Prüm. Very nice! 

 

As second dessert, Valrhona Schokolade 70% with tahini ice and chocolate crumble.

[Valrhona Schokolade 70% | Tahini-Eis | Choco Crumble]

 

Coffee and... 

 

...gourmandises.

 

Always great to be back: such a beautiful restaurant, with excellent food and nice pairing!! 

 

May 21st, 2023.