Antwerp

Dome
Grote Hondstraat 2
Antwerp, Belgium
+32 3 239 9003
Official Site

On my trip to Belgium and the Netherlands this year, I noticed that most of the restaurants I’ve visited were owned and operated by husband and wife. It’s a family business; the husband is usually in charge of the kitchen while the wife is responsible for the front of the restaurant. The same can be said for Dome in Antwerp’s Oud-Berchem, the owners are husband and wife Chef Julian Burlat and Sophie Verbek, who like many couples in the business own multiple dining venues. Their culinary portfolios include Dome Sur Mer, a seafood bistro and bakery/grocery, Domestic, all located within 100 feet from each other.

Chef Burlat was born in France and has cooked under the likes of Pierre Gagnaier , Alain Duccase and Bernard Pacaud, – the A list in French gastronomy. In 2003, him and his wife opened Dome. And six years later in 2009 it was awarded a Michelin star. It has held it ever since.

Located in a stunning Art Nouveau building, Dome’s airy circular dining room sits below an elaborated designed dome where the floors are made of mosaic marbles and walls in white. Uniformed brown leather benches and chairs that are paired with two topped tables covered in sky blue table cloth fills up this gorgeous dining room.

A la carte as well as a tasting menu is available. On my visit I chose the tasting menu or the “Carte Blanche” that cost 79 euros and consists of seven courses. The tasting began with small munchies to excite the appetite, which the octopus salad stood out the most.

Carte Blanche:

For the first course I was served endives with Comte cheese and cooked with emulsion of patata Negra sprinkled with black truffles. A rich and creamy dish with a touch of earthiness.

The second course was meaty North Sea crabs with ponzu for a hint of citrus and accompanied with both raw and cooked salsify for extra oyster like flavor. Carpaccio of fresh scallops was served next, a light and aromatic broth that was infused with lotus flower and beet root and garnished with crispy beef tongue for texture.

Codfish with cheese and mint followed, an avant-garde combination which created a lovely complex of flavors. The dainty cod fish lay on top of couscous that was supplemented well with carrots and saffron. Afterwards a wonderfully cooked sweetbreads. Made with Japanese artichokes, pickled cauliflower, and puree of split peas with coriander, it stayed in tune with each other to create a flavor that complimented the sweetbreads.

The dessert course commenced with a dark chocolate pudding and kiwi sauce. The sweet and sour taste, along with the bitterness of the dark chocolate posed well with one another. Finally, to finish up the meal and to clean the palate, a refreshing passion fruit yogurt sorbet was served.

Chef Burlat is an ingredient driven chef who only uses what’s available on that day.By cooking them with simplicity he allows the ingredients to be the star of the dish. With the application of classical French techniques he delivers a menu with an arrangement of excellent flavors.

Dome’s wine list is made up of predominantly French. Throughout dinner, the wines paired were French except for one lone Italian wine. The sommelier was fantastic elevating the taste of each dish to another level.

Wine Pairing:

Service at Dome is smooth and friendly. Sophie was there from the moment that I walked into the restaurant until the time I left. She and her staff were attentive and were more relaxed than most restaurants I’ve visited in Europe, they were engaging as well. Sophie provided reading materials as I waited for the next course, although I did not need them as I spent my time talking to her and the server while waiting.

Antwerp restaurant scene is already bustling with some fantastic places and with a restaurant like Dome, it solidifies the city’s gastronomy. With extremely good food and a beautiful setting, Chef Burlat and his wife Sophie have something good going on in this restaurant.

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Dining Room

De Godevaart
Sint-Katelijnevest 23
2000 Antwerp, Belgium
+32 3 231 89 94
Official Site

Highly underrated, Antwerp gastronomy lives in the shadow of other Belgian cities like Bruges and Brussels. It has quality eateries that’s worth a visit and I can attest to that after spending four days eating my way through various places. From visiting Michelin starred restaurants to countless bistros and brasseries, the city owns a solid dining landscape. There are places that deserve more recognition like De Goodevart in Old Antwerp. Highly rated among locals and epicureans alike it hasn’t really taken off for global recognition, although web search results favorable write ups and reviews.

Housed in an historic building, De Godevaart has three dining rooms and an outdoor terrace (available during nice weather) that is frequented by locals. The room in the front is airy, bright, and tall ceilings with plenty of whites. The other rooms are a tad darker with more colors and an old fire place with a large mirror above. Walls are designed with intricate artistry as well as showcasing artwork of various musicians and two antiquated chandeliers that lights up the space. The outdated interior has floors that have seen its better days. There is very little privacy among guests as the tables are close to each other.

The kitchen is under the guidance of a young and talented Chef/Patron Dave De Belder. He has a dazzling resume that includes cooking at some of the worlds most renowned restaurants like El Bulli, and El Celler De Can Roca in Spain, and the Netherlands with De Librije. When he opened De Godevaart he introduced molecular gastronomy to the city of Antwerp.

There are several set menu choices along with an a la carte. The prices are expensive, yet I wanted to experience Chef De Belder’s talent. I opted for the 110 Euros seven course menu with dessert. I was on to a culinary adventure that began with bread sticks placed on top of parmesan cream sprinkled with dried tomato. Then fried chicken skin with cheese seasoned with chili and garlic was served. It had a burst of flavor with a beautiful crunch.

Tasting Menu:

The first course started with the delicate flavors of Octopus with chilled mussel broth and fennel. The chilling of the broth while retaining the mussels flavor was both a bold and clever move by the chef. Afterwards cod and shrimp with leeks was served. Not only was the cod center stage, it was also in the background infused within the broth. This created two varied types of mildness. Halibut with rocket salad and Jerusalem artichoke was the third course. The fish’s firm texture and clean taste were complimented very well with its sauce and other elements.

The next course was hearty Texan meat ribs with buttermilk and pickled vegetables. In this dish the chef decided to turn up the heat and added some spiciness to a fantastically moist pulled meat covered in eggs, sunny side up style. This was followed by a dish made of two types of beef, the wagyu and charoalis with buckwheat and artichoke. A carnivores delight that showcased these individual mouthwatering flavors cooked to perfection.

The first dessert course was a signature dish that was brilliantly prepared and displayed creativity. It was a duplicate of a forest where the soil is made from chocolate, mushroom made of chocolate mousse, greens from pistachios and mandarin gel to give it some color. This visually stunning dessert was delicious. Then finally, coffee yoghurt and bergamot dessert was served, combining a bitter and sweet taste balancing the contrast of flavors.

In this tasting menu the complexity of each course came with an excellent amount of textures and flavors. There is serious talent in the kitchen that is far superior to some of the one and even two star restaurants that I’ve visited. If there was something De Godevaart could add to their repertoire, it would be a wine pairing. During my visit it was not available with their tasting menu but I was still able to enjoy a few glasses of whites recommended by my server.

Service was attentive and engaging to some degree. From the moment I walked in, genuine and welcoming smiles were flying from its all female staff dressed in black from top to bottom. The pleasantness and the relaxed atmosphere in the dining room from the staff dictated a wonderful dining experience.

When a restaurant charges steep prices the expectation is high and disappointment often occurs, but here the prices are warranted. From start to finish the kitchen and staff deliver. Chef De Belder’s innovative cooking technique merits at least a star or two that the Michelin guide cannot keep overlooking. To call De Godevaart underrated is an understatement, this is an excellent restaurant that will eventually gets its due.

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Tag: Antwerp

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