Castor

Purity is the name of the game at Castor. The elegant yet austere cube on Kortrijkseweg is home to a modern interior of wood, glass and concrete. Stefanie embodies the restaurant’s classy front of house, while Maarten Bouckaert surprises the diner right from the appetisers, as he rolls out his superlative talent for combining flawless textbook technique (think velvety vichyssoise or crisp Anna potatoes) with a delicate neoteric spin. The sauces are to die for! Nothing leaves the chef’s kitchen that hasn’t been endlessly puzzled over and preened. Medium rare local lamb, served with confit of neck and rillettes, is enhanced by a perfectly balanced blend of ras el hanout, aubergine chermoula, anchovies and black garlic, while a creamy rosemary sauce adds a final flourish. The insightful tips of the eclectic sommelier ensure that there is a wine to suit all palates and all wallets. A young chef who cooks like a seasoned veteran but with the contagious enthusiasm of youth.