De Karmeliet
Potato Chips with Paprika and Manchego
Marinated Salmon with Horseradish and Turnips, Glazed Almonds, Pie of Tomato and Olive Tapenade, Beignet of Boursin Cheese and Duke of Berkshire Pork, Burratta with Tomato Sorbet and Zucchini in Pesto
Olive Oil, Butter from Flanders, Cereal Sourdough, White Roll
Marinated filet of Meagre, ‘Oeuf a la Neige’ with spices, Baby Squid, Anchovy Cream
White Asparagus, Flan of ‘Duke of Berkshire’ Ham, Black Truffle Vinaigrette
Slightly smoked Salmon, Oil of Crustacean, Green Herbs
Roasted Langoustine and Goose Liver, Marinated Eggplant, Seaweed and Lemongrass Infusion
Roasted Young Cockerel and Sweetbreads in Breadcrumb Crust, Leg stuffed with ‘Oud Brugge’ Cheese, Green Asparagus, Wild Mushrooms, Morels
Cheese Trolly, Fruit Bread, Fig Chutney
Strawberries and Rhubarb
Chocolate Textures and Caramel
Mignardises, Cocoa Egg with Coffee Cream
Originally planning a trip to Belgium shortly after In de Wulf announced an imminent shutter at the end of 2016 it was with some surprise that research uncovered De Karmeliet’s plan to do similar by the middle of December, Geert Van Heecke ‘s Michelin 3* in Bruges considered by many to be the most rarified dining room in all of Belgium with the Chef himself somewhat of a national treasure in terms of championing the country’s cuisine.
Holding the highest Red Guide accolades since 1996, Chef van Hecke having stated in the past that he wished to retire at the age of sixty having originally opened De Karmeliet at age 27 in 1983, there is little doubt that the Chef’s resume shines as brightly as any in Belgium with training at the elbow of names like Chapel and Ducasse, the €230 “Brugge Die Scone” menu consisting of seven courses flanked on both ends with bonuses and an expected time at the table of just under four-hours with an admittedly protracted pace.
Truly a refined room, the heavy carpet and artwork both lending a bourgeois air to crisp linens and plenty of polished silver, diners are greeted with a basket of potato crisps topped in cheese and paprika while they are allowed to peruse the menu and within moments of making a selection a flurry of nibbles begins arriving, the tiny Tomato tartlette glistening beneath Olive Tapenade while a donut filled with creamy Cheese and Ham burst with flavor, but not a hint of oil at all.
A bit disappointing in bread service, the lightly salted butter from Flanders deserving far better than the dry White Roll though the Cereal Sourdough was good, but not great, the official degustation began with a meaty filet of Meagre alongside a Floating Island of lightly spiced Meringue with several more components of sea life including a lightly poached Clam, baby Squid, cream of Anchovy and a chlorophyll-rich Seaweed crisp.
Trending in step with the rest of Europe’s Asparagus obsession, this menu as well as every other early-Summer tasting featuring both white and green stalks at some point during the meal, course two placed White Asparagus alongside supple slices as well as a flan of ‘Duke of Berkshire’ Ham, the boldness of the plate further enhanced by preserved dollops of Black Truffle while a follow-up of smoked Salmon danced beneath a creamy mousse of the same fish with oil of Crustacean and poignant herbal aromatics at its base.
Never trending ‘heavy’ despite Geert’s French training and deft hand with sauces as well as cream, savories were concluded with a one-two punch of roasted Langoustine and Goose Liver with Aubergine followed by a roasted male chicken served alongside sweetbreads and spring mushrooms as well as vegetables, the braised leg of the bird amongst the very best bites in Belgium as it had been stuffed with melted ‘Oud Brugge’ Cheese.
Truly a family affair, the matriarch of the family greeting tables early on and later acting as the resident Fromagier, Cheeses from De Karmeliet prove to be the most Belgium-centric of all the restaurants visited in the country and allowing Ms. Van Heecke to guide the decision process all five slices were as aged to perfection, the sweets to follow all well crafted in classic tradition without a hint of ‘exotic fruit’ to be seen anywhere.
www.dekarmeliet.be