Aurum by Gary Kirchens

The awe-inspiring restored castle of Ordingen sets the scene for special occasion indulgence. The restaurant’s historic Flemish Renaissance interior, mingling period details, modern luxury, glittering chandeliers, gleaming gilt work and oil portraits, will take your breath away. Kick off your meal with a drink in the stylish bar by the open fire, before sitting down to sample the chef’s revamped versions of pedigree French recipes. Chef Gary Kirchens aims to enhance and shine the spotlight on each ingredient. He may underscore tender fillet of lamb with a parsley and nettle crust, while a light foaming harissa brings subtlety, the gravy is given a kick thanks to parsley, nettles and anchovies and white asparagus covered in ground hazelnuts adds the final flourish. Chef Kirchens leaves his culinary stamp on familiar flavours, jazzing up the aromas with playful textures. His cooking demonstrates consummate skill and is dotted with unusual, subtle notes, without falling into the trap of fussy excesses. His dishes are available in set menus or à la carte, but Sunday lunch features 7 courses and generally lasts until 4pm! The epitome of stylish, every detail of Aurum has been puzzled over and preened to make it perfect, including the superlative guestrooms – ideal to luxuriously prolong your stay.