Heartfelt Hospitality and Exceptional Flavours: A Memorable Visit to Ieper’s Warmest Couple-Owned Restaurant

Hello and welcome (back) to THE MOOD!

Spring has finally arrived, and I’ve been soaking up every ray of sunshine since April rolled into Belgium. It’s been such a joy—long countryside gatherings with friends, aimless city wanders surrounded by charming architecture and vibrant energy, little home projects, and spontaneous explorations across the country. There’s something magical about sunshine—it shifts something in me. I feel more inspired, full of fresh ideas, and just... more alive.

So yes, I’m extra excited to be writing this blog post today.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at a chic restaurant tucked away in the historic city of Ieper, and I can’t wait to share the experience with you. If you're a fellow foodie or simply love discovering hidden gems, this one is definitely worth a visit.

The restaurant is run by a wonderful couple—friends of my boyfriend’s mother, who so kindly treated us to this unforgettable evening. Everything on the menu is created by them, and each dish can be paired with a curated wine or non-alcoholic beverage selection. Of course, you’re free to choose your own drink, but their pairings are something special.

We opted for the five-course tasting menu—my boyfriend and I chose the wine pairings, while his mother went for the non-alcoholic options. The non-alcoholic options are home-made drinks created and carefully chosen by one of the owners. I can promise you that you will encounter drinks you have never experienced and get entertained by!

Before the courses began, we started with a signature cocktail (I’ll have to update you with the name once I double-check it!). It tasted like a heavenly garden in a glass—refreshing with just a hint of sweetness, and an incredibly smooth finish. The kind of drink that makes you pause and just savour.

To kick off the meal, we were served four beautifully presented appetisers. Each one was thoughtful, delicate, and delicious.

And here’s the surprise that truly delighted me—several dishes were subtly infused with Asian flavours. It felt unexpectedly comforting, like a little taste of home, and I found myself smiling with every bite.

After indulging in four fabulous snacks, we were so ready to embark on a culinary journey of five full courses. By this point, my anticipation was through the roof—I couldn't wait to see what surprises awaited us next.

The first dish to arrive was a chicken liver crème brûlée. I’ll admit, I had no idea what to expect when I first heard the name. But nestled at the center was a generous portion of beef tartare—one of my all-time favorites— I was instantly intrigued.

Once again, the flavors blew me away. The complexity was stunning. I normally shy away from anything involving liver, but this... this was something else. It was unimaginably smooth, rich, and creamy, perfectly balanced by the subtle sweetness of the brûlée. It took my breath away.

The second one was Gnocchi with asparagus and some kind of mushroom. This was also divine! The gnocchi was not heavy at all and had the perfect texture. Also, the tenderness of the asparagus and the umami-soaked-up mushrooms were brilliant.

The wine paired with this dish became one of my favorites very fast haha

It was a natural wine from Germany, Cuvee Weiss from Dominik Held made from a blend of 4 different grapes (Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Scheurebe, Huxelrebe) —which gave it a unique, layered character. It had a dry profile, but was still surprisingly smooth and easy to enjoy, even for someone like me who’s still learning their way around wine. I would highly recommend it to pair with non-meat based pasta dishes and fish dishes.

We all had been loving every dish provided so far. But for me, the number one was the chicken liver crème brûlée because it was unlike anything I’d tasted—unexpected yet perfectly balanced, and the mix of several different flavours elegantly blended was beyond heavenly.

Now, onto the third course—which was actually the reason why we opted for the five-course menu rather than 4-course ones. When we were deciding, one of the owners helped and explained to us about the menu and their special dish was the hop shoots/sprouts. I had no knowledge of this product but my boyfriend's mother, my boyfriend and the owner were all like "We need to have this", so I was so happy to try something that is rare and precious in the country. Apparently, the hop shoots can only be harvested from March till the middle of April and 1kg of them usually costs 80euro to 120euro. This is why they are special and we needed to try it hehe

The dish arrived and I was honestly thinking, "they look just like bean sprouts…", but when I put a small portion of the dish into my mouth, I instantly wanted to take back what I just said (no offence to bean sprouts and bean sprouts lovers). This was beautifully cooked in the way that highlights the sweetness of hop shoots. The dish also contained eggs with delicious rich sauce that does not kill the taste of each ingredients. Wow, what a special dish!

By the time the fourth dish arrived, our mood was cozy and full of warmth. We had tried quite a few different drinks recommended by the co-owner perfectly matched with each dish.

I remember feeling so grateful.....

Our 4th dish was a pre-main dish. It was chorizo sausages with delicate seaweed. The chorizo sausages were tiny but mighty, the chorizo packed a punch with its bold, smoky flavour.

Then, our main course came! It was a lamb steak. I like lamb in general but I always find the smell unappetising in a way. However, this lamb was cooked brilliantly and the smell was not disturbing at all—so tender and elegantly blended with the sauce.... I felt my heart melting literally.

After the main course, our stomachs were feeling full and heavy, but we had one more dish coming. It was a dessert. I know some say we all have a separate stomach for sweets and I usually do and so does my boyfriend. But we weren’t sure we had room for even one more bite... But the moment I laid eyes on it, all concern vanished. It was a chewy almond nougat-style base topped with pistachio cream with a citrus ice cream on top. Pistachio is one of my absolute all-time favourites. While the biscuit and the cream were nutty, the citrus ice cream was the hero to balance and lift the taste of the dessert.

Now 5-course meals were completed, and we all felt satisfied. The whole experience was beyond my expectation. The hospitality of the owners was warm and caring throughout the night although they were several other guests dining at the same time. The restaurant's ambiance was perfect for the chic venue with exceptionally amazing dishes. I had never had such dining experiences where chic and warmth beautifully mixed.

I will definitely go back to this restaurant for another stunning experience and I cannot wait for the time to come.

Thank you so much for reading this blog and I really hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

MY MOOD