Merveilluex, Bruges, Belgium

In Bruges we ate at least one of all the usual novelties - frites with mayonnaise, chocolate, waffles, beer. . . The chocolates were consistently incredible, but I soon tired of the rest!

We spent a lot of time trekking all around Bruges following online reviews. . . we happily viewed most of the city along the way, and got to know the coiled and cobbled streets quite well, but sadly most of our conquests turned out to be closed - some seem to be open for lunch but not for dinner, and others closed every second tuesday and wednesday and each Sunday after March. . . Our hotelier later explained that the local restaurants are run privately and that the owners 'need time to rest'! Well, at one stage I found myself in an Irish pub out of desperation ~ we had one drink and then managed to re-muster our hunting instincts in the pursuit of a good meal. Luckily we became the recipients of a a local recommendation and followed it dutifully.

Needless to say, I was glad to have lunch in this little french bistro that became our stand-out, as local suggestions are always best!

When you step in the front door of this lane-way cafe, you will basically find yourself standing in the kitchen. After maneuvering around and taking a seat by the large window overlooking potted plants on the opposite windowsill, you'll immediately feel settled and cosy, and it will dawn on you that you're in for a treat!

Pastries are on display behind the counter, waiting for you for later, and the walls are lined with teas and wines. The decor is simple and chic, with a touch of country style (even the large supply of dish-washing detergent is lined up perfectly, row by row like soldiers in the backroom, mimicking the bottles of wine - their front of house brothers).


Merveilluex is run by a couple and you can feel their personal touch both in the service and the magic of the kitchenette. They're a smooth team and everyone felt the friendly efficiency they offer.

We started with a goats cheese and apple salad which arrived as a wheel of cheese baked in butter, and covered in caramelised apples, with a green salad on the side. The cheese was salty and smooth, and the combination with the apples created an unexpectedly luxurious experience. I knew I'd be running off the butter and cheese for weeks to come, but in the moment I couldn't ask for a nicer slice of heaven. The green salad with vinaigrette refreshed my palate before we moved on to a very nice pasta. Although very tasty, the pasta sits in the background of my memory in comparison to the cheese treat!

For sweets (we couldn't resist) we had more apples in the form of a tart - very nice.

We certainly had a lovely lunch away from the crowds of the town square. If you can afford the caloric intake, a visit to Merveilluex is charming and rewarding.

A great little place and perfect for a lunch. Glad we stopped by!

Address: Muntpoort 8 | 8000 Brugge, Bruges, Belgium
Phone: +32 50 61 02 09

Betty's, Amsterdam, Holland

Let me start by ruining the ending for you - Betty's is vegetarian heaven and one of the most wonderful eating experiences I've had. Simply amazing.

In Sydney there used to be a place called Betty's Soup Kitchen on Oxford st. It was somewhat of an institution, but a bit of a dive. So when we pulled up to Betty's in Amsterdam, I was carrying some connotations of a venue offering late night nosh to clubbers wearing glow stick necklaces and mesh shirts. When we stepped in the door however, we were met with a small dining room, creamy understated furnishings, a large wall of spices, oils and candles, and a calm atmosphere. 

We were seated at a large country style family dining table in the front window, and soon the rest of the restaurant was filled and new comers were being turned away. Betty's is unassuming from the outside, but clearly has a reputation!

Owner and host Gido Schweitzer served the entire restaurant single handed - he tells a passionate story (in a selection of languages) about the Michelin starred chef who couldn't find spices fresh enough for his cooking, so decided to make his own - these flavours form a key part of the Betty's experience, and Gido explains them with fervor before administering a sprinkle there and then to your meal at the table.

Don't expect to see a menu - Gido explains the courses to you (the offerings change weekly, so don't expect to eat the same thing twice!) and also makes suggestions on accompanying wine. Dishes are served mostly to share around the table, creating a very fond atmosphere amongst the diners at each table.

Betty's dishes include so many flavours and unique pairings of vegetables that I'm sure I'll fail to recreate the dishes with the detail they deserve - but I'll try to paint a picture of the general magic!

We started with a soup of capsicum with a knob of dairy at the bottom and a sprinkling of spices on top. It was a small portion that packed an incredible amount of taste, and was matched with a beautiful country style walnut bread. We then started on a medley of three salads, including (in no order of combination) asparagus, celeraic, broccoli with a beautiful sesame oil, and a flower on top. . . I was so engrossed in the experience of each mouthful that I didn't commit each ingredient to memory - I wish I had!

Our main was baked polenta with a rich and intense tomato sauce. It was paired with a beautiful salad of beetroot, capcicum, apples and seeds, and a separate dish of fresh green seasonal peas. We also had a side of patatas gratis with another intense tomato sauce - the peas and salad cut through the richness of the sauce beautifully.

For desert, we chose 3 cakes - an apple, sticky date, and a rhubarb - each was incredible and it was hard to choose the best - I selected the rhubarb for it's sweet but not sickly characteristics, while my friend chose the sticky date pudding. Upon finishing Gido told us the secret to the pudding is roasted turnip which gives it it's beautiful sweetness. The passion for vegetables really comes to the forefront with this ingenuity for desert!

We finished two bottles of beautiful wine across our delectable 3 courses and left feeling light and so satisfied. Gido is an unassuming host, and yet he is able to create a unique experience for each table, and well deserves his glowing reviews. It's clear that this is a man with a passion for vegetables, and he tells us he has been a vegetarian for over 30 years. I'm glad to have benefited from his decades of experimentation and enthusiasm for flavour ~ truly a special experience.

Address: Rijnstraat 75  huis, 1079 GX Amsterdam
Phone: 020 644 58 96 
Web: http://www.bettys.nl/ 

Envy, Amsterdam, Holland

I was lucky enough to find myself in the Netherlands and Belgium recently - a birthday trip for the big three-ohhh-nooo. While we were in Amsterdam, a few friends living in London came over to enjoy my birthday with me - such a treat to have such good mates! They rented a boat and we drove around the canals, enjoying a bottle of Moet and some beautiful cheese and bread under mostly blue skies. My fantastic birthday boat ride just got even better when we moored for lunch! 

Envy is part of a group of restaurants, and the owners certainly have the mix right, although each venue seems to be completely unique. Envy is sleek and dim, sitting below street level. With the open kitchen enjoying the light of the front window, and the seating area stretching like a gun barrel back into the depth of the building, this small space is able to create the ambiance of a wine bar and a juice bar, depending on where you're standing (99% wine and 1% juice!).

When you open the menu it appears to be a selection of 2 breads, a chefs lunch, and then three pages of cheeses - impressive and baffling all at once! I saw my friends flip through once, twice and then three times thinking they'd missed something. . . so we all went with the chefs lunch (!) and the waitress didn't blink when we asked for 2 veggies.

Our first stage arrived as a medley of pumpkin - a small pumpkin soup, pumpkin chutney, and pumpkin done three or four other ways. Each bite sized morsel was different to the last.

We then had several plates following - each served degustation style. We enjoyed a cucumber gazpacho that was very tasty and refreshing, as well as some 'luxury bread' with truffle butter. One interesting flavour came in the form of a small meringue the size of a 10 cent piece - was it lime? Intense! I don't know how they packed that much flavour into such a small daub.

Desert was a really creative - white chocolate 'soup' with fresh pineapple on a skewer - and there was the lime meringue again! The soup was creamy but light, and the pineapple created an edge to cut through the milks. Full of taste but not overwhelming.

We had a variety of people serve us, including one chef, all of whom were friendly enough. With good company and a nice bottle of wine, plus a few stiff coffees, it turned out to be a lunch to remember! Thirty is not so bad after all.

 

Usually I take my own food photos (sneakily I hope! I don't like wrecking the mood with constant flashing, and there's something strange about photographing everything you eat!) but then I steal my final photos of the restaurants decor so I can get a beautiful shot, sans empty glasses and chewing patrons. But in this case, my friend Amy somehow shot these incredible photos - I think they're worthy of promotional material on Envy's behalf! They capture the smooth, dark eatery perfectly. Thanks Amy - for the photos and more!

Address: Prinsengracht 381, 1016 HL Amsterdam
Phone: +31 20 344 64 07
Website: http://www.envy.nl/en/