Samouraï

Samouraï is both minimalist and sleekly contemporary and yet this restaurant, tucked away in a nondescript shopping mall near Rue Neuve, has been a culinary landmark of Brussels since 1974. Razor-sharp precision and rich flavours embody the authentic Japanese cuisine, depicted by a varied menu of sushi and sashimi, together with table preparations like sukiyaki. The chef steams the shiitake with shrimp-flavoured pasta and then flanks it with a ginger and soy stock and with fried ciboule onion and shiso leaves, creating a harmony that is both subtle and distinctive. Popular lunchtime bento boxes; set menus in the evening as well as à la carte.