Brussels: Beyond Moules and Frites

 I've been fortunate to have some truly amazing meals.  Naturally a lot of factors go into what elevates a meal from good to great.  My recent dinner at Comme Chez Soi in Brussels however has assumed the lead for ranking of best meal to date.  

Located at the corner of a small unassuming square, Comme Chez Soi keeps a very low profile for a Michelin two star restaurant.  Inside however, it's a deeply exquisite and very personal experience from the moment you enter the door.  The dining area is small; only 12 tables make up the room.  As a result, you receive extremely personalized attention from the staff.  And because in true European fashion of not rushing through a meal, this also means (at least on a weeknight) tables do not turn over and once in you're there for the night.  Even ordering off  the ala carte menu will take a good 3 hours to get through, as we discovered when we elected to just have a light meal. But the experience was so wonderful it was hard to call an end.  

We began with a glass of champagne while reviewing the menu.  I tend to lean toward the indecisive side when confronted with a menu, and narrowing down my choices took quite an effort.  The menu was unique and impressive, feature a wide selection of not often seen ingredients.  Finally, with the assistance of the staff we reached a decision and let the rest of the meal unfold. We were presented with a variety of amuse bouche to begin.  One of the key details for me is pacing during a meal. and Comme Chez Soi did this masterfully. 

We finished at a leisurely pace when the first course arrived. I selected the Goose liver with gin and rice pop pearls and a reduced fig vinegar. with it the sommelier paired a French sauvignon blanc.  It was heaven.  Served with simple toast the the flavor of the foie gras really shined through.  The texture was perfectly creamy and the aspic of gin and balsamic made a wonderful contrast.  The wine pairing was spot on; the perfect combination of roundness and acidity that held up to the liver and cut through the fat.  My companion selected the Potato mousseline with crab, shrimps and Royal Belgian caviar, white oyster butter with chive. With this the sommelier selected a vintage champagne.  I had merely a taste of the caviar which was sublime, but I can say that he was grinning like an idiot throughout the entire course. And needless to say, that's not typical. 

For the main course, I opted for the Roasted young partridge with vine leaves and autumnal garnishing. This was my first experience with the bird; I was astounded by the depth of flavor. Roasted to perfection in a single serving cast iron dish, the meat was juicy while the skin was brown and crisp. The vine leaves provided a welcome crunch, and wild mushrooms and squash rounded out the dish. My companion selected the Pheasant with champagne with autumnal garnishing. Another perfectly done bird with a similar preparation; however I preferred the gamier flavor of the partridge to the more delicate pheasant. While reviewing the menu, both dishes were described as featuring a “second service” the meaning of which was not immediately clear at the time. So we were delighted to learn that because our selections were prepared in individual crocks we got what amounted to a second helping of the course. Forgoing the tasting menu suddenly seemed like a wise choice! 

 

Yet despite our best efforts, the slope leading to the cheese course was only too slippery. And with the staff's excellent recommendations we found ourselves enjoying a glass of 1944 port and a marvelous selection of dairy. While I love cheese in all its forms, I am continually amazed at the wide range in quality. Artisan cheeses are amazingly more complex and travel through cheese-producing countries is a constant reminder of this fact. And because its hard to let a meal this good come to an end, we choose to brave dessert. While everything sounds tempting, we both select a lime souffle with mojito granita. Served in individual ramekins, the souffle was light and airy with a subtle hint of citrus. The granita along side tingled and delighted the palate with a more intense lime flavor. 

 

As we lingered with expresso and petit fours, there was no doubt we have been treated to a world class culinary experience. What elevated this meal in my mind however was the impeccable service and attention to detail. I've had wonderful food that was somewhat diminished by both being rush and also completely ignored. But it is a very special place that makes you feel like you are the only table in the restaurant without being smothering. Comme Chez Soi struck the perfect balance, and the result was an evening I won't forget.