Michel

The Van Landeghem family greets you like an old friend. Lily graciously supervises the front of house, guiding you through the delicacies prepared by her husband and son. The food is a tasty blend of tradition and modernity. Dad, Robert, is in charge of the classical backbone of the menu, which allows his son, Sam, to add an intelligent creative spin. This combination of seasoned experience and youthful talent shines through in each bite. Michel, which is renowned for its dedication to regional produce, pleasantly surprising sauces and overall sophistication, is fully deserving of its reputation for fine dining. Terrine of pig’s head (meat from the Hof te Kattem farm at Roosdaal) and a knockout tomato stuffing, flanked by impeccable roasted langoustine and an olive oil sauce of finely chopped shallots, all of which is crowned with a diced brunoise of gherkins in vinegar and fennel. The resulting subtle harmony between big-boned flavours and fresh tangy nuances is fascinating. An elegant restaurant that hits the spot every time and is likely to continue to do so for many a year yet, thanks to the knockout blend of savvy maturity and youthful audacity…