This sleek, pared-back establishment, housed in a historic building and boasting an exquisite rear terrace overlooking a leafy public park, is the HQ of a couple whose story is atypical. Chef Dimitry Lysens and your hostess, Aagje Moens, have opted for the road less travelled, swapping their marketing and economics degrees for a career in hospitality. They also share a belief that work should be about more than simply earning a living and that you do well that which you enjoy. Thus, dining here is not simply about eating — it’s an experience! Chef Lysens champions simplicity as he allows the ingredients to shout their name. The spotlight is on ultra-fresh, preferably local produce and subtle craftsmanship. He values depth of flavour rather than complex gimmicky layers of ingredients as he seamlessly and apparently effortlessly rolls out his consummate skill. One example: a duet of langoustines, one served classically with wafer-thin asparagus slices and a punchy shellfish bisque, the other glazed and paired with a frothy, Asian-leaning jeow som dressing. Dimitry Lysens focuses on the fundamentals as he delivers a masterclass in minimalism and in the art of omission.