When chef @servais_tielman opens a new restaurant, I just have to check it out. Tonight, was the very first service at @restaurant.kombu and we were there. The new restaurant is situated below @beluga_loves_you and offers a more casual menu.
Obviously, we had to try as much as we could. The infamous "verticaaltje"method allowed us to taste all of the starters. My personal favourite was the crispy rice with enoki. It was incredibly satisfying and morish, full of umami and crunch.
The mains were super tasty with the black cod as my highlight. Closing off, we even ordered the full dessert menu. We were quite stuffed afterward, but it was totally worth it.
Kombu is a great new culinary spot in Maastricht. I can't wait to visit it in summer to enjoy our meal outside on their terrace.
#newrestaurant
#maastricht
#casualdining
This year's King's Day led to an unexpected visit to probably Maastricht's most iconic gastropub: Café Sjiek. Everyone knows you should come here for the city's best zoervleis. In fact, the recipe I use for this traditional dish, is the one they shared many years ago.
Café Sjiek is known for serving proper food in a French/Maastricht style. For me, my last visit was quite a while ago. Since then, they changed owners and gained a Bib Gourmand and other great awards. Time for a renewed taste test!
We enjoyed some bites as starters. Both the brioche with foie and eel and the steak tartare with crunchy potato were amazing. I loved that they had lion's mane on the menu. The sirloin as main was perfect and paired great with the nice Priorat.
Despite the busy service on a holiday and a slight delay because of miscommunication, the staff remained friendly and helpful. Café Sjiek proves to be a worthy culinary icon.
#foodporn #cafesjiek #maastricht #iconicrestaurant
Ever since @pizzagabrielmaastricht started, we have been having pizza buffets that grow bigger and bigger. We are just THAT happy with this amazing place and we want to share this with everyone else.
Haven't got the chance to try it yet? Go do it!
#pizzaparty #pizza #foodporn #foodstagram
Not a restaurant, but a new experience for me. I've been hiking for almost ten years, but I've never done a multi day trail.
This spring, I seized the opportunity to walk the Lee Trail in Luxemburg. With over 53 km and close to 2000 m upwards, this was quite the challenge.
Together with my good friend @nijwening , I spent a few amazing days outdoors, filled with great talks, the occasional hailstorm and that majestic landscape the trail is known for.
#hiking #escapardenne #luxemburg #leetrail
Restaurant De Kas*
This place had been on my radar for quite a while. Finally it was time to explore this amazing green house restaurant for lunch.
It is so good to see that earning a Michelin star as well as the green sustainability star hasn't led to an uptight ambiance or the menu prices to skyrocket. Stepping into the restaurant felt relaxed and casual.
We loved the approach of their menu. Start with the minimum of three courses and after that, see if you want to continue into the next ones. We chose to open with their oyster and steak tartare, magnificent!
The dishes that followed were simply delicious. Their menu is built around what their land produces and therefore is very vegetable forward, although not vegetarian. Our favourite dish was the one with clams with kale. It was a true umami bomb with all kinds of different textures.
After the fourth course, we chose some cheeses as our final plate. Ending the meal with a stroll through their garden was lovely. We were happy to bring their book back home to try and recreate some of the dishes.
#foodporn #restaurantdekas #amsterdam #foodstagram #finedininglovers
In Maastricht, we are very lucky to have some great pizza places around. My favourite is a recent addition to the city's culinary skyline.
Pizza Gabriel is a true hidden gem, since it's exclusively take away or delivery. The Neapolitan style crust is topped with high quality ingredients only, making these pizzas irresistible.
Can't choose? I love the mortadella and pistachio one! Still impossible? Be like us and order a pizza buffet!
#foodporn #pizza #maastricht #neapolitanpizza #pizzalover
After my solo lunch at @le_pristine_singapore and the amazing experience at @priveprivee_antwerp , it was time to finally visit @le_pristine_antwerp .
Seated front row, we were able to feel the energy coming from the kitchen. The dishes looked stunning and celebrated the pure ingredients.
Everything was cooked to perfection and every plate was balanced deliciously. My favourite courses were the mussels a la sobremesa and the veal with Jerusalem artichoke and quince.
After this gastronomic dinner, I'm also curious about the more casual part of the restaurant in the front. Another reason to come back to Antwerp soon!
#finedining #foodporn #foodstagram #instafood #sergioherman
In contrast to what I thought to deduce from the name, OTORO is not a Japanese themed restaurant.
Chef Pajtim delivers beautiful dishes packed with passion and creativity. My favourite was the turbot with pasta and caviar. Such a seemingly simple dish bursting with complexity.
OTORO is fine dining with a great atmosphere. The young chef is charismatic and was very nice to chat with.
#finedining #gastronomy #otoro #foodporn
Festive seasons are the time to go all out for family and friends. This year, my working space was limited. I did have a nice dish in mind that was doable in my tiny, temporary kitchen.
This was a potato pave with smoked eel and caviar. With it came a tomasu crème fraiche, citrus gel and miso mayonnaise, creating a playful balance of umami, acidity and creaminess.
As I had been struggling with the potato layers in the past, I found help in the lovely @watschaftdepodcast community. The result was amazing!
#starter #foodporn @tomasusoysauce
PrivéPrivée by Sergio Herman
It has been a dream for me to experience a menu by legendary chef Sergio Herman. Last night, I finally got the chance. This reservation was the reason to book a solo trip to Antwerp, and slightly nervous, I took a seat at the big dining table in his restaurant PrivéPrivée.
This night was just amazing. The typical extravagant design I recognized from Le Pristine and the immaculate hospitality made me feel more than welcome. It was so nice to connect with the people around me as well as with the crew. I love how food and drinks can spark conversations.
The degustation was mindblowing. I know how Sergio always celebrates the products, pure and honest. I was surprised by how he managed to bring emotion and nostalgia into the dishes.
My favorite amuse was the cuttlefish carbonara with sea urchin. It was a big one-biter, leaving you with a mouthful of creamy and chewy textures. With the puff pastry underneath, it almost felt like an extremely luxurious version of a "frikandelbroodje", which absolutely is a great thing. To get the feel of a comfort snack while having that explosion of flavor is brilliant.
The dish I will remember the most was the first starter. The plate looked simply stunning with those colors and shapes. Eating it gave loads of umami, balanced with just enough acidity. Wagyu tartare combined with scallop was so good. The crunch from the crackers and pumpkin seeds suddenly grounded the dish, triggering memories I thought I lost.
The wine pairings were on point and were poured generously without overdoing it. At the end, I was satisfied without being overly full and I was pleasantly tipsy without being drunk. I think this is a skill I have not seen in many restaurants.
Concluding the evening, I was happy to get my fanboy moment with the chef. This was an experience I wouldn't have missed for the world. Many thanks to the amazing staff for making me feel at home and taking care of me.
#foodporn #foodstagram #instafood #sergioherman #privéprivée #antwerp #degustation #finedining #gastronomy #solodining
Went into the BBB Chef's Table from @restaurantholsterhof blindly and we were pleasantly surprised with an outstanding lunch.
Great dishes packed with flavor, while keeping everything perfectly balanced, chef Kaj Landman did an amazing job. Adding the presence of @som_dennis as our incredible host and the brilliant wine pairings by Tommelier, our afternoon was nothing but delightful.
#foodporn #foodstagram #instafood #maastricht #bbbmaastricht #popup #finedining #gastronomy #winepairing
Since their start in Maastricht, I've been coming in regularly for the best tacos in the neighbourhood. Now that @jitomato_official has mastered the art of birria, I just had to taste it.
Amazing! And yes, it's very limited at the moment. Make sure you're in time to beat the queue!
#foodporn #foodstagram #instafood #taco #tacos #mexicanfood #birria #comfortfood #maastricht
