To celebrate D getting the new job and our wonderful time living in Belgium, we SPLURGED on Friday for lunch at the Michelin-starred restaurant In De Wulf. It was a two-hour drive each way and the meal lasted three and a half hours. It was the most expensive meal we have ever eaten, but it also was the best! It consisted of 20 small courses : )
Chef Kobe Desramaults is quite young (30 years old), but wow can he cook! He was born in Heuvelland Belgium, which is in the Flemish region near the French border. He grew up in an old farmhouse - now the location of his wonderful restaurant.
We opted to take our aperitif and amuse-bouche in the front sitting room by the fire. We started our celebration with a local champagne.
The dishes are shown in the order we ate them. The French name is written first then the "roughly" translated English version.
In De Wulf’ Menu - November 2011
Lard seche maison =
House speciality - homemade bacon;
salted and smoked, then dried-cured for 6 months
Cereales & Herbs =
Crispy morsel on cream
Betterave rouge yaourt =
Beet root crisp with beet yogurt
Looks so simple but it was packed with flavor -
one of the top bites of the day! For the crisps, the chef makes an emulstion of beets and beet juice, gels the mixture in a thin sheet, then fries the beet gelatine. This gives the crisps more intense flavor.
Poulet carotte =
Carrot mousse on crispy chicken skin
Pain brule, Maroilles =
Burned bread filled with cheese from the Maroilles and covered with mushroom dust.
Another one that looks simple but oh my gosh!
One of D's favorite of the day
We then moved into the dining room to begin our culinary adventure. Kobe's food has been described as an explosion of flavor and we found this to be a great explanation of what we experienced. Each bite was so fresh, so unique - it is hard to even describe.
Pain with frais beurre, lardon cream =
bread with creamy fresh butter and lard spread
Panais, lovage =
Crispy parsnip with a parsnip cream
Bulots =
Local cockles with sauce
Before we get too far into the meal - just a quick mention that we had a flight of wines that were carefully selected by the sommelier for each course. We did not have a different wine with each course....but the wine changed every few courses.
Bigorneau =
Periwinkle Welk (sea snail) with herb sauce
Crabe, blette, feuilles de Capucines =
Crab, spinach, buttermilk-chive sauce
Chau pointu raifort huitres plate de Zelande =
Oysters from Zeeland, covered with cabbage leaf and horseradish
Coquille verveine pourpier =
Scallops with walnuts and verbena sauce
Another one of my favorites! I love the smell and taste of verbena.
Bar de mer betterave maritime navets =
Sea bass with turnips strips, laural leaves, and bone sauce
Celeri-rave en croute de sel fromage cremeux, vinaigre de pomme, oseille =
Celery root baked in salt crust, with celery foam and cheese sauce
It was baked on the open flames (which was right next to our table) in a salt crust. They only served the middle part.
Champignons sauvages, cereales =
Wild mushrooms, foam, and crispy cereals
Choux laurier, coeur de boeuf =
Mixed greens covered with dry-cured ox heart shavings
Lievre boudin des pates topinambour =
Wild hare fillet and sausage with carmelized onion, artichoke sauce and sunchoke crisps
This was another of our favorites. We are used to rabbit, but wild hare had so much more flavor.
Gateau de fromage, poire de Kemmel =
Pears from Kemmel, cheesecake ball, served in elderberry juice
Noix, biere Pannepot, lait de Kemmel =
Hazelnut, beer icecream, crisp, and buttermilk reduction
Pomme romarin, chervil
Apple tuile, rosemary mousse, Spanish cheese
Back to the front room for coffee and more sweets.
From left to right = chocolate, carmel, and salt,
marshmallow covered in chocolate with layers of cake
fruit gel
and last but not least - smoutebollen....doughnuts : )
Donald was "fat and happy" with his gastronomical meal!
Here we are with Chef Kobe. We bought his cookbook and he signed it for us. Donald spent the next day reading it and is already trying a recipe. I will not be using this cookbook - too complicated for me!
We had a fabulous time and it truly was the best meal we have ever eaten! If you have a really special event to celebrate and are living in Belgium - we highly recommend you splurge and go to In De Wulf..
It sounds like a once in a life time experience. What a wonderful memory you both made. A wonderful time for the both. D with his wife in her beautiful necklace. So beautiful and done by a real artisian.
Lady Faith
Posted by: Barbara Branson | November 17, 2011 at 02:01 AM
Dear Heavens!!! Now I must go wipe all the drool off the keyboard lest it fry!!!
What an awesome farewell dinner!!!
Hugs ~
Posted by: bobbie | November 14, 2011 at 01:57 PM
This is remarkable! I am so glad you got the chance to go before you take off to the new adventure in Singapore. I love to try new tastes. When I go to a restaurant it is my habit to scan the menu and if there is anything I have never tasted before then that is what I order. This would be simply amazing!
Posted by: Kathy | November 14, 2011 at 02:10 AM