LE COQ EN PATE

I may have not been chosen for The Rapture, but there are certain restaurants that make you want to stay on earth. Brussels' Le Coq en Pate is one of them. Tucked away in a quiet road behind a park in Woluwé-St Lambert, I had long wanted to try this restaurant which has been awarded one "couvert" (knife and fork - honourable mention) in the Benelux Michelin Guide, and which doesn't take walk-ins (I've tried). As Scouse Doris and I had birthdays fairly close together, it seemed like the ideal opportunity for a leisurely Sunday outing for Ladies Who Lunch. The restaurant, which is discreet enough that you may have passed it several times without even noticing it is there, is fairly small and decorated in a clean 1980's style with leather banquettes and Venetian blinds. There were two tables against the wall occupied by single ladies of a certain age having lunch in solitary splendour. Most of the diners were even older than myself, which I take to be a sign of a good restaurant.

We sat by the window and perused the menu. There is an à la carte menu, and two tasting menus, one at 30 euros and one at 45 euros. We went for the 45 euros tasting menu, and ordered two glasses of chilled prosecco with peach liqueur - a kir royale with a difference - to kick start our gastronomic adventure. While we were sipping our apéritifs, we amused ourselves with the pipettes of olive oil supplied on the table.

The "mise en bouche" arrived almost immediately, a large square slate on which five items sat: these were not on the menu, but I do remember they were a "cappuccino de mortadelle", a gazpacho and a pea soup, all served in glasses, and two of them topped with whipped sour cream. All three were tiny, beautiful and packed with flavour. I believe in the trade this sort of presentation is known as a "flight" of dishes. To accompany these, a tiny cheese scone and a tiny piece of cornbread completed the composition.The taste of garden peas just exploded in my mouth. The mortadelle cappuccino was pure froth, tasting of ham. Doris was enamoured of the gazpacho, which looked like a tiny serving of strawberries and cream but the flavours of tomato and cucumber were intense. It was all a bit Heston Blumenthal, our eyes seeing one thing and our taste buds experiencing another, but a great introduction to what was to follow.

First starter: three asparagus sticks in a egg pesto dressing, served with scallops (St Jacques) and salami chips, a spinach (?) sauce and a test-tube of Vichysoisse. And a nice shot of Doris' cleavage.

Second starter: half a pacchero (pasta tube, a bit like cannelloni) with a mortadelle and salami stuffing, with a tiny egg of buffalo mozzarella and a sliver of Spanish cured ham, served on a hubcap.

Main course: one tiny, perfectly slow-cooked spare rib of pork in a honey-spicy glaze, served with a glazed lettuce leaf and something else, damned if I know, I was off with the fairies by this time. Each of the three savoury courses came with a glass of suitably matched wine - two whites and a red.

The dessert(s): the pièce de résistance. A flight of five mini-desserts on a slate: melon sorbet; skewer of fresh pineapple chunks with cinnamon; lemon meringue; strawberries with cream; fresh sweet orange and pineapple juice with pulp. All TOTALLY delicious.

To finish: coffee, served with mini Madeleines and a box of the lightest, whitest, crispest meringues you have ever tasted. I ate about half the box, and normally I wouldn't touch a meringue.

We drifted out of the restaurant on a cloud of what I can only compare to post-coital afterglow. Doris said it was a shame those two ladies never spoke to each other throughout their meal. But I sort of understood why they didn't. You don't want to talk to the neighbours while you're having sex, do you?

Le Coq en Pate
Tomberg 279
1200 Woluwe St Lambert
Tel: 02 762 1971