I have a fascination with all things Belgian, fueled by my nostalgia of my former Brussels life. Given that, I have been curious about Menu MBK, the restaurant/market concept by Chef Federik de Pue. Thankfully, my friends at Bookalokal hosted a dinner there last week and I had the opportunity to experience the restaurant. Going to Menu MBK is an experience as you go through layers of concepts throughout the four floors of the restaurant.
When you first enter the restaurant, you enter into a market featuring local foods and artisan products. It's reminiscent of the traiteurs I used to frequent in Brussels. The second floor contains the kitchen. The Menu MBK Kitchen has a six seat counter space where you can experience a five course menu and interact with the chef and his staff. The third floor is the bistro bar. A beautifully decorated space with a wooden rustic bar which serves drinks, food, and brunch. On the fourth floor is the dining room, where we had our dinner.
The Bookalokal dinner was a three course meal with two choices per course. Naturally, the Dutchman and I had one of each. The winners in my eye were my choices, which consisted of escargot in garlic sauce, mussels, and beignets. My favorite for that evening were the mussels. They were meaty and tender with a delicious wine sauce that as Chef Keith Cabot describes has been reduced for hours with stock and herbs. Truly delicious. The Dutchman was not in love with his steak but we did agree the frites were to die for. To end the dinner, we both loved our desserts. The deconstructed tiramisu was dense and not too sweet, just as I like it and the beignets were light with a fresh strawberry compote.
We love that Bookalokal is introducing the communal dining concept not only at homes but at local restaurants. We are looking forward to trying more of their series at local restaurants.
CONVERSATION