Au Coin des Bons Enfants is an important part of Maastricht's culinary history, with the restaurant first being awarded a MICHELIN star in 1957. Today, Timo Reichelt and sommelier Lino de Vrede are writing a new chapter that pays all due respect to the past, maintaining the establishment's elegant and romantic ambience, including a fabulous secluded terrace to the rear. The cuisine of chef Reichelt, who for a long time presided at Im Schiffchen in Düsseldorf, puts the ingredients front and centre.
He has a rather classic cooking style, enhanced by his knack for seeking out the very best in quality ingredients and his talent for spectacular sauces. The expressive smoky flavour of a rich and buttery beurre blanc, for example, is the ideal accompaniment for a perfectly grilled North Sea turbot served with unripe mango for a hint of freshness.Veal sweetbreads are fried until golden brown, unctuous and crispy, and served alongside aromatic black truffle and a particularly creamy Chablis sauce. This is rich, traditional fare prepared by a young chef with a sound grasp of flavours.
The finesse of the dishes is accentuated by the wines (also available by the glass). Ask the sommelier, a devotee of Pinot Noir and Old World wines, for recommendations.