• Home
  • About
  • Chef Interviews
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Contact us

Food and Wine Gazette

Food and Wine, travel and gastronomy

  • News
  • Interviews
    • Chefs
    • Winemakers
    • Artisans
    • Entrepreneurs
  • Series
    • 10 things we learnt from …
    • A perfect day in …
    • 10 wineries from one region
    • Weekly roundup
  • Features
    • Reportage
    • Childhood Memories
    • Book reviews
    • Film reviews
    • Weekly roundup
  • Food
    • Chef Profiles
    • Restaurants
      • Concepts
      • Belgium
        • Brussels
        • Bruges
        • Gent
      • UK
      • Italy
      • Malta
      • Netherlands
    • Recipes
    • Focus on one ingredient
    • Producers
    • Shops
  • Drink
    • Wine
    • Producers
    • Bars
  • Traveling
    • Itineraries
    • Cities
  • Countries
    • Belgium
    • France
    • Italy
    • Germany
    • Netherlands
    • Denmark
    • Spain
    • Sweden
    • Malta
    • Argentina
  • Blogs
    • Ivan Brincat
    • Notes from Far and Away – Isabel Gilbert Palmer
  • Privacy Policy

Weekly roundup of great reads on food and wine #3

September 27, 2014 by Ivan Brincat Leave a Comment

Creativity was the theme of our post yesterday and if you have missed it, we recommend that you read it. For this week's round-up we would like to start with another chef that epitomises the word creativity. No one has had an impact on today's cuisine as much as el Bulli, the iconic Spanish restaurant which closed its doors a few years ago. His brother Albert Adria, who was also heavily involved in el Bulli is interviewed here about creativity. This is a really interesting interview. He says what really motivates people is fear. And he has a very interesting perspective about meetings, which seem to be the greatest problem of the corporate world today. "At el Bulli we only had the winter to create the menu for next season. That’s why we were very pragmatic and efficient when it came to deciding on new crockery, products… We never had long meetings. Whatever you say after half an hour or 40 minutes is unnecessary." Bruges is one of the most picturesque Belgian cities and sometimes … [Read more...]

Pistolet Original – the not so dangerous Belgian sandwich place

September 9, 2014 by Ivan Brincat 2 Comments

Are you allowed to rave about a 'sandwich' shop? Difficult to say but Pistolet Original seems to be one of the places you wish you had next-door to your office (wherever that may be). I am sure that the thought of grabbing such a great sandwich for lunch would put a smile on many faces. If there were a top 50 places list of great sandwich bars, I would say this would probably be very high up on that list. So despite having seen the name around over the past months, I had never really looked into it thinking what could be so exciting about a sandwich place? What changed everything was the trip to Dierendonck, easily one of the best butchers we have visited in Belgium. We picked up Dierendonck's newspaper the Summer Times and  in it was a small snippet about how Pistolet Original in Brussels uses his meat for some sandwiches. A quick visit to the Pistolet Original website confirmed our expectations. We became more and more excited when we read the list of suppliers. Cheese from … [Read more...]

Famous Parisian macarons compete with the best in Brussels

September 8, 2014 by Ivan Brincat Leave a Comment

There are things in life which are just not done. In football terms, could you imagine a Juventus supporter walking into the Inter club in Milan or vice versa, or say a Real Madrid supporter sitting among Barcelona fans all clad with his Real Madrid memorabilia as he watches a game his side is playing against their arch-rivals. When French chocolatier Patrick Roger opened in Place Sablon, Brussels there was nothing short of an uproar. How dare a French open a chocolate shop on the Belgian square most famous for its chocolatiers. Then again Pierre Marcolini has also opened a chocolate shop in Paris. Now, there is another reason for some to worry about. The famous French patisserie Ladurée, known in particular for its macarons opened last Friday on Place Sablon. Competing with Wittamer and Pierre Marcolini, this makes the Place Sablon all the more interesting for foodies. A Michelin starred restaurant Senza Nome is also set to open on Rue Royale just off Place Sablon later this … [Read more...]

A trip to Dierendonck, one of the best Belgian butchers

September 7, 2014 by Ivan Brincat Leave a Comment

"Being a butcher is being a craftsman. Dierendonck, combines the professional skill of today with the quality of the past," Hendrik Dierendonck says. A visit to his Atelier in Nieuwpoort yesterday confirmed all the good things that we have been hearing about this butcher shop. No wonder it is considered to be one of the best butchers in Belgium. A look at his website, however, would instantly confirm that Dierendonck is a must visit for any foodie who finds himself at the Belgian coast. His produce is used by some of the top chefs in Belgium and the Netherlands (Sergio Herman  of Oud Sluis fame, David Martin of Restaurant La Paix , Jan Wittevrongel of Ten Bogaerde, Kobe Desramaultsoud of In de Wulf to mention just a few). This should be enough to tickle your taste buds and visit. The choice of meat at the Atelier was exceptional. We opted for a 'contra filet' from West Flanders. The meat was exceptional in flavour though slightly chewy. It did not have the marbling of the … [Read more...]

Brussels: Knees to Chin: Asian, fresh and healthy

August 6, 2014 by admin 2 Comments

The area around Place Chatelain in Brussels is one of my favourite places to just walk around, just sit down for a drink or eat. It has a superb 'village feel' with many boutique stores which are a breath of fresh air in cities that are starting to look the same with the common branded high-street stores. It is one of the first areas of Brussels I discovered when I moved to this city nine years ago. And it is constantly evolving though it hasn't lost any of its charm. Old places which have stood the test of time are complemented by new establishments which open from time to time and which hope to also become regular fixtures of the area. Recently we stopped for a quick bite at Knees to Chin, a newish place on Rue Livorne, in between Avenue Louise and Place Chatelain. The concept is very simple but effective. If you are looking for a quick and healthy lunch this is the perfect place. They make rice paper rolls which you find in Asia. Using fresh ingredients these rice paper … [Read more...]

Cafe de la Presse: A new coffee culture brewing in Belgium

August 5, 2014 by admin 1 Comment

The smell of coffee coming from a cafe in the morning is enough to wake your senses. The sound of the grinders, the gurgle of the steam warming the milk for a cappuccino, the espresso drizzling into the small coffee cup. You are next in line, you hear the barista banging the used coffee into the drawer and you know your coffee is next. Malta might not have the same coffee culture as Italy but there are many places where you can get a perfect espresso. For some, the coffee ritual is as important as the tea ceremony in Asia. So you can imagine the shock when on arriving in Brussels nine years ago there was barely a place where you could savour a decent coffee. A few Italian shops here and there made a decent espresso and cappuccino but in most places it used to be incredibly difficult to order a coffee without regretting it. Things have now changed, very much for the better and this has nothing to do with the venture into Belgium of Starbucks. Order an espresso now and you … [Read more...]

Famous Brussels butcher is opening chophouse

August 3, 2014 by admin 2 Comments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsHZkFw_-8A I like to go the extra mile to buy good ingredients but given it is August, I need to be sure that shops I buy from are open. Most local shops in Brussels are closed for holidays given they are family run. So I got really excited yesterday when i entered the website of Jack O'Shea yesterday to discover that he would be opening a chophouse in central Brussels in September. Now, Brussels has its fair share of culinary destinations, but I have no doubt that this is going to be an additional 'must visit'. There is no question about the quality of the meat at Jack O'Shea. The meat which you get from this butcher whether it is a Wagyu beef t-bone steak, an Angus beef ribeye, an aged t-bone steak or just sausages from his large range (which includes mustard and spinach, Italian, beef and guiness, chorizo), are all exceptional. With such quality of ingredients and a hot grill, all you need is to make sure you do not overcook the … [Read more...]

A visit to Chateau de Beloeil

July 31, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

I recently had to spend a midweek day off with the children. I offered them a choice between either going to a park or a castle. I thought they would opt for a park but they immediately got excited about the prospect of visiting a castle. Since there was agreement, we finally decided on the castle to go to since Belgium has its fair share of castles. I had always seen signs of Chateau de Beloeil on our trips to Lille or Pairi Daiza and have always been intrigued especially since it is also famous for its flower show and the yearly classical music concert. The castle opens at 1pm. Chateau de Beloeil is considered to be the Belgian Versailles and on our visit we discovered that there is a reason for this. The park is very large and forms with the castle a very interesting place to visit away from the crowds. We were there on a weekday and among the first to arrive so  pretty much had the castle and park to ourselves. The castle has beautiful antique furniture, some unique pieces … [Read more...]

Brussels: O Liban – a great Lebanese restaurant in Bascule

July 28, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

There was a sense of disappointment in our family when Giovanni on Chaussee de Vleurgat closed a few years ago. When we arrived in Brussels nearly nine years ago, it was not only close to home but it also served one of the best Italian espressos or cappuccinos you could find in Brussels. Moreover, the cannoli (which we are so accustomed too in Malta) were to die for. Now either my palate has become accustomed to 'worse' coffee or else the Belgian coffee scene has clearly made remarkable improvements. I tend to believe that it is more the latter than the former. Italian food is clearly comfort food but Lebanese food can be exceptional particularly when using fresh ingredients. I can today say that his replacement has proved himself on many occasions over the past years. O Liban is a great place to stop for a quick lunch or dinner. It is also perfect to grab a take-away or to try one of their delicious typical Lebanese 'sandwiches' or pittas. They are all excellent using fresh … [Read more...]

Pairi Daiza – one of the best attractions in Belgium

July 27, 2014 by admin 1 Comment

There is no doubt to my mind that Pairi Daiza is one of the best attractions in Belgium. I would dare to say that it is probably also one of the best animal parks you can visit in Europe such is the beauty of this dream garden of 55 hectares. Pairi Daiza can be found in Brugelette within the ruins of the Cistercian Abbey of Cambron and is protected from the outside world by a wall that stretches three kilometres. It means enclosed garden in ancient Persian. It is the oldest known name for paradise. This is really a paradise for children and adults alike. The garden is an architectural and cultural treasure. You will be surprised by the attention to detail that has gone into the development of the park. The architecture of the garden has been created by workers from China, Indonesia, Thailand and Africa adding to the authenticity to the place. The park is constantly being upgraded so no visit is the same. This year, to receive the pandas, the already massive Chinese garden (the … [Read more...]

Next Page »

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Check your inbox or spam folder now to confirm your subscription.

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • El Barri, Albert Adria's dream closes because of COVID-19
  • Three-month residency at Mandala Club, Singapore for Mirazur
  • UnBOXed: Four chefs, one dinner
  • Dario Cecchini - the legendary butcher of Panzano in Chianti
  • 4 ways space design impacts restaurant and bar revenue
  • Albert Adria temporarily closes all his restaurants in Barcelona including Tickets and Enigma
  • Childhood memories and food - a new series
  • Noma to open bookings for Game and Forest season on June 6
  • Anne Sophie Pic and David Sinapian: Putting human resources at the centre of their business
  • Everything must change - a new book by Yannick Alléno

Follow us on Twitter

My Tweets

Connect with us on Facebook

Connect with us on Facebook

Archives

  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Subscribe to our newsletter

If you want to keep in touch, please subscribe to our newsletter. We will point you to the most popular content from time to time.

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to analyze site traffic, and understand where our audience is coming from. To find out more, please read our Privacy Policy.
Our Privacy Policy

Search

Tags

Alinea bars beer Belgium best chefs best chefs in the World book review Books brussels Brussels restaurants Burgundy Burgundy wine Burgundy wines cheese chefs craft beer Days out in Belgium fish food food and drink food and wine France Gent Gozo Grant Achatz Italy Liguria Malta Massimo Bottura Michelin stars Modena Noma Osteria Francescana places to eat recipes Rene Redzepi restaurant review restaurant reviews restaurants Sicily Travel trips from Brussels Valletta wine wine region

Copyright © 2021 · Magazine Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in