Denizens of the Woluwe/Montgomery areas will know one or both of these pretty restaurants, noticeable by their attractive tropical terrasses which are constantly busy in the warmer months. Vi Hornblower and I often meet for lunch at Le Jardin de Nicolas, where my favourite dish is the "salade folle", or "crazy salad". It is a bit of a unorthodox mixture, with smoked salmon, prawns, foie gras and parma ham sitting side by side on a huge plate with a delicious mixed salad involving both fruit and vegetables. If you didn't want to fanny about with starters, main course and dessert, you could just eat everything off the plate in the right order and call it a 3-course meal. Le Jardin de Nicolas is also popular for its wide range of cocktails at a very reasonable 7.50 euros a throw, although one criticism is that the tables are a little too close together. However, this is a good excuse to chat to any nice young men who might be dining alone alongside you. Especially when you've had a couple of cocktails. The poor lad who was accosted by Violet and me has probably crossed "gigolo" off his list of career options. But if you are partial to the sophisticated older woman with a taste for fine dining, Nicolas' Garden is the place for you, young man! (The editor has my details).
Salade Folle at Le Jardin de NicolasI recently took guests to dinner at Le Martin-Pecheur, sister restaurant to Le Jardin de Nicolas, which has more of a brasserie style. Its attractive terrace was already full, so we were given a table inside, by an open window, which afforded us a little shelter from the noise and pollution of the Boulevard Brand Whitlock.
The menu is - as you might expect from a restaurant named after a kingfisher - largely fish-oriented. The starters, with a few exceptions, are fishy or vegetarian, and the croquettes de scampis are exceptionally generous. I had to explain to my Australian visitors that "scampi" here is not actually scampi, but shrimp, although what we call shrimp they would probably call wichety grubs. An English menu is available, on request.
Main courses offer some meat options - a 250g Belgian fillet steak was served perfectly cooked, with an attractive garnish of salad and frites, and a choice of sauces. My fillets of Dover sole in breadcrumbs were equally delicious, and portions are generous. Lamb kebabs are another meat dish, and the chicken curry, which we spotted someone wolfing down as we walked in, looked and smelled delicious. Be sure to check the blackboards for the day's specials, too. Both Martin's and Nicolas' offer a "lite" option, which is roughly the same dishes without the chips and sauce. Such flexibility is refreshing after the gastro-fascism of some French restaurants, and the busy tables bear testimony to good service.
The desserts are divine: my guests had a simple Dame Blanche and a fresh fruit salad, while I went the whole hog and ordered the Tarte Tatin with vanilla ice cream, drizzled in caramel and Calvados. That certainly hit the spot, and I nearly did a Meg Ryan. The serving staff were efficient, professional and elegant, especially the absolutely charming restaurant manager in a lovely crushed raspberry shirt, all spoke very good English and went out of their way to accommodate my Aussie guests' slightly unorthodox dining etiquette. The waitress didn't even bat an eyelid at being called "mate".
We had a bottle of Bandol rosé, which was kept chilled in an ice bucket (always makes the wine look more expensive, don't you think?). The total bill for one starter, two main courses and three desserts with wine came to 90 euros -- not the cheapest place in town, but good value nonetheless.
Neither Nicolas or Martin take reservations, so be sure to get there in time to bag a good table. They both offer, in addition to the main menu, a selection of snacky dishes, such as different kinds of Croque Monsieur, salads and stir-fries, which makes them ideal for a quick lunch. There is also a child's menu available at both restaurants. Parking is a bit tricky, especially at Le Martin-Pecheur, but both places are less than 5 minutes walk from Montgoméry metro.
Le Jardin de Nicolas
137 avenue de Tervuren
http://www.lejardindenicolas.be/
Le Martin Pecheur
100 boulevard Brand Whitlock
(corner of avenue Georges-Henri)
http://www.lemartinpecheur.be/
