Kokuban Japanese - Brussels

Kokuban is a Japanese restaurant located at the corner of Avenue Louise and Rue Vilain XIII. This area has a concentration of Japanese businesses, with Nagomi supermarket and Izakaya close by on Chaussée de Vleurgat.

Kokuban means black slate. They had a black wall used as a slate, with drawings of Japan's four main islands and ramen/broth composition.

Otsumami: marinated seaweed salad and Tako Gari (octopus and ginger salad)

Onigiri with cod roe

Karaage ramen with fried chicken nuggets

Soba with tofu

Almond pudding

Mochi ice cream - sakura and green tea flavors

Otsumami serving sizes are small by default and one needs 2-3 for a real starter course, which in the end makes the starter course more expensive than the main dish. The ramen and soba, however, were excellent. We will be returning to Kokuban fairly soon!

Kokuban restaurant japonais
http://www.kokuban.be

Locanda 4 Cuochi - Verona, Italy

Locanda 4 Cuochi is a restaurant located about 1 minute walk from Verona's arena, serving Italian dishes with a modern twist. It is owned by four young cooks - the "4 Cuochi" - and during our visit we could see some of them working in the open-view kitchen.

Since all the normal tables had been reserved, we were offered two seating choices: the counter by the kitchen or the high tables by the windows. We picked the latter.

Bread and twists

Some colored pencils to draw on the paper plate mats. Very original, we found.

We decided to order four dishes and share a dessert. While waiting, we checked out the kitchen which was buzzing and even the waitresses were helping to plate.

Here's our lunch, beginning with a potatoes and chestnuts soup.

Artichokes arancini (rice balls) with tomato sauce

Fassona beef tartare with quail eggs, mustard and capers. Excellent!

Breaded turkey breast with panzanella

For dessert, we shared a Mascarpone & caffe (tiramisu)

Overall, a pleasant lunch with good food at reasonable prices and a nice cosy atmosphere. Although the restaurant was full and we were the only tourists present, service was friendly and one of the waitresses who spoke fluent English took good care of us. Since the Locanda has a limited menu, we were expecting the dishes to be well executed and we were not at all disappointed. At dinner time a reservation might be a good idea since the place is quite popular with locals.

Locanda 4 Cuochi
http://www.locanda4cuochi.it/

La Manufacture Restaurant - Brussels

La Manufacture is about 10 minutes walk from Place Sainte-Catherine on the sleepy Notre Dame du Sommeil street.

The building used to house a printworks and afterwards a Delvaux leather factory. When the latter moved to a much cheaper location, the place was renovated into a restaurant. A photograph at the entrance shows Delvaux employees working the leather inside La Manufacture.

The interior is quite original, with soft lighting, dark woods and leather chairs. The brick walls, metal staircase leading to the first floor (which was unoccupied that evening) and the pillars gave a unique factory feeling.

We opted for the 3-course Menu clin d'oeil ("wink menu" according to their English menu). We were given four small breads and butter. Oddly, the salt on the table was in the same plastic container as sold in supermarkets.

Starters

Aiguillettes de Bœuf Mariné à la Graine de Moutarde et Dill (Marinated Beef Slices with Mustard Seed and Dill )

Gaspacho Andalou à l’Huile de Pistaches, Avocat et Crevettes (Andalusian Gaspacho with Pistachio oil, Avocado and Shrimps)

Main dish

Magret de Canard Mulard au Citron et 2 Olives (Mulard Duck Breast with Lemon and 2 Olives)

Escalope de Saumon au Gingembre (Salmon Escalope with Ginger)

Dessert

Corolle de sorbets (Assorted Homemade Sorbets)

Parfait Glacé Meringué au Gingembre et Noix de Coco (Frozen Meringue Parfait with Ginger and Coconut)

That was a very good dinner and every single dish was enjoyable. The amount of food was just perfect, we were full without being stuffed. The young waiters were efficient, and the wait between each course was a reasonable 5 minutes. As we left, an employee gave us back our jackets, opened the door for us and said goodbye. Recommended restaurant.

Restaurant La Manufacture
Rue Notre Dame du Sommeil 12
1000 Bruxelles

Restaurant French Kiss in Jette

After l'Amour Fou, we went for Le French Kiss. This restaurant is located in Jette, close to Place Reine Astrid. The Michelin guide awarded restaurant French Kiss a "Bib Gourmand" (along with a dozen other restaurant in Brussels), which means that they offer "good food at moderate prices." This translates into a 3-course meal for €35 or less.

View from the street

 Here are some pictures of the interior

The place was almost full, with mostly elderly regulars (we were probably the only ones under fifty:)) who knew the waiters by name. Decoration was somewhat basic, with lively colored paintings against brown brick walls.

We ordered the two different set menus on offer.

Some olives, bread and butter to nibble while waiting for the appetizer

Menu "Suggestions" at €35

Tartare aux deux saumons & foie gras, crème aigrelette à l'aneth

Pavé de thon rouge au pesto, tomate mozzarella gratinée, pomme au four

Fraises au sabayon, glace vanille

Menu de la Semaine at €25

This menu had two options for the appetizer and main dish. No choice for dessert.

Velouté d'asperges aux St Jacques rôties

Brochette d'agneau, salade grecque, pommes frites. In the picture, the lamb looks like some charcoal - it was actually good and grilled à point as I had asked.

Glace vanille aux cerises Amarena

Le French Kiss offered us a pleasant lunch. The menu was quite traditional with Belgo-French classics. The food served was good and plentiful, and the service was polite and efficient.

The €25 set lunch menu offers a good deal. Bravo to Le French Kiss for offering their weekly lunch menu also on Sundays, which is quite rare in Brussels. The €35 menu was good, although given the big portions, a main and dessert would have been more than enough.

Here's my advice: if you've never been to Jette, go for a stroll during the Sunday market around Place Reine Astrid then stop by restaurant French Kiss for a good, hearty and affordable Belgian lunch.

Restaurant French Kiss
Jette, Brussels
http://www.restaurantfrenchkiss.com