SAN
San is one of those restaurants that became the talk of the town way before the opening. And no wonder why everyone eagerly anticipated its arrival; it’s not every day that one of the most well-known chefs in Belgium opens a new concept in the heart of Brussels.
After his wildly successful two Michelin-starred restaurant L’Air du Temps in the province of Namur, Sang-Hoon Degeimbre decided to open a second restaurant, only in the Belgian capital this time. His aspiration was to offer dishes that are more accessible price-wise while maintaining the high quality and cooking techniques he masters so well. And he managed to dazzle foodies yet again.
The space sets the tone immediately: colorful, cheerful and very welcoming – the kind of place you feel relaxed in right away. On the ground floor there’s a long wooden counter overlooking the open kitchen where Japanese chef Toshiro Fujii and the rest of the team work their magic. It’s really impressive to see the level of detail and attention that goes into each dish; I could really watch them for hours. Upstairs you’ll find a few tables, interesting books on the shelves and the loveliest wall art that makes you dream of travel destinations around the world and puts a smile on your face – just like the food.
The menu consists of different bowls that change depending on the season; so are the accompanying wines. For lunch you can choose between 2, 3 or 4 bowls while for dinner you have a choice of a 3, 4 or 5 bowls menu. What’s interesting about San is that the only utensil on the table is a spoon. Don’t be dubious; you’ll quickly see that it’s the perfect way to savour all the different flavours combined in one spoonful. Thanks to the advice of our very kind and knowledgeable waitress, my partner in crime and I went for 6 bowls in total – two starters, three mains to share and a sweet one. Dish after dish we were blown away by the beautiful presentation, different textures and balanced flavours. Two of our favourite bowls were the “Liernu”, a mix of homegrown vegetables from Sang-Hoon Degeimbre’s garden in the Namur province served in a warm lacto sauce, as well as the “Sanshine”, ravioli with mozzarella milk, basil oil and leeks. No matter what you order though, you can’t go wrong – we both agreed that it was one of the best meals we had this year!
San has made it to the top of my favourite restaurants in Brussels at the moment and cannot recommend it enough. Make sure to book in advance and be prepared for a really special meal. I’m already looking forward to my next visit!
| INFO |
| Address: Rue de Flandre 19, 10o0 Brussels, Belgium |
| Telephone: +32 2 3181919 |
| Website |
