I
blame Masterchef for all the pretentious faffery that restaurants are serving
up these days. It’s all tian this and timbale that, a smear of something dubious on a big white plate
alongside two organic blueberries and a spoonful of ice cream – oh pardon me, a
quenelle – and suddenly they’re
calling themselves Noma and whacking up the prices to astronomic levels that
Felix Baumgartner would shake his head at.
Now
I like a reduction as much as the next girl, but there are days when you just
want to walk down the road and have a simple meal of something uncomplicated, cooked
to order by your friendly local restaurateur, which is not going to break the
bank. Meat or fish, prepared in your
line of vision, with vegetables du jour,
and no espuma or emulsion, merci beaucoup.
Plan
B is a simple local restaurant serving well-cooked Mediterranean food at
lunchtime and evenings. Owner/Chef Rui
hails from Portugal originally but the menu covers all corners of the Med, with a good
selection of pasta dishes and some Italian classics, and some excellent Portuguese fish dishes. I have visited twice recently, and have not been disappointed on either occasion. He is open throughout August, which is a welcomed by those of us who like to stick around and appreciate the peace and quiet of the holiday season.
The
3-course menu du jour (no menus brought to the table - you choose from the blackboard as in a typical Portuguese auberge) offers a choice
of two dishes for each course, for 24 euros, as well as an à la carte menu. The beef carpaccio was melt-in-the mouth
delicious, served on a bed of wilted spinach, drizzled with extra virgin olive
oil and covered with a generous serving of parmesan shavings. The vitello
tonnato –wafer-thin slices of veal covered in a mayo and tuna sauce -- can be served as a starter or (in a slightly
larger portion) as a main course. Back in June Rui had a supply of freshly-picked girolle
mushrooms which weren’t on the menu board, wokked up in butter with herbs and
garlic they made a simple but extremely tasty starter. The Portuguese-style Morue/bacalao a l'agareiro (grilled salted cod in olive oil) had already run out when we got there - in a small restaurant like this you can't foresee massive quantities - but Rui recommended the Dos de cabillaud a la Biscaia (Basque style cod loin) and to prove how fresh it was, brought out three massive cod fillets and waved them in our faces. It was, indeed, delicious, served with new potatoes and Mediterranean vegetables.
The Scotch lamb chops were small but beautifully formed, and served simply grilled with herbs, accompanied by seasonal vegetables and baby new potatoes. The rosemary-infused sea bass can be served whole (with the head left on if you like) or filleted (recommended) with the same accompaniment. The addition of locally grown white asparagus to the vegetable mix was a seasonal touch. It’s Mediterranean cuisine, not Belgian, so chips are not an option, but the baby new potatoes were perfect. At Plan B the menu doesn't change too often, and can get on with your conversation instead of spending half the evening agonizing over whether to choose the prétension de nimportequoi fumé en branlette torréfiée or the déclinaison de foutaises aux couillons d’hérisson.
When
it came to dessert, I was the last man standing, faced with a choice of mousse au chocolat or panna cotta. I cannot resist a panna cotta and Rui’s is
sublime, creamy and unctuous, served with fresh strawberries drizzled with
thick dark chocolate and raspberry sauce (my only criticism, IMHO the
strawberries would have been better served simply in their own sweetened jus). A couple of bottles of Touriga Nacional rosé at 17 euros a bottle lubricated the
conversation. The small terrace is a delightful place to eat on a warm day, and when it gets dark candles are lit to create a rather magical atmosphere. It only seats 8-10 people though, so if you want to eat al fresco, specify when you book.
The
vibe is very relaxed, Rui will come and chat between courses, even sit down at your table, and you get the
feeling his relationship with his customers comes as much from a genuine liking
for people as for purposes of inducing you to return. Food-wise it’s certainly a case of WYSIWYG*
at Plan B. Rui knows his granita from his gremolata, but has no pretentions to be Ferran Adria. It’s a good, local, friendly restaurant where you can
ring up at 8 p.m. on a Saturday night to book a table for 8.30, and chat to Chef about the food (he’s also your waiter), in that relaxed, informal style we all enjoy so much on our holidays in the south. Molecular gastronomy it ain’t, but it’s not heavy Belgian winter stodge
either. It is a welcome addition to an area which is saturated with pizzerias and sushi bars. If you yearn for a taste of the sunny
Med on a grey Brussels day, I suggest you revert to Plan B.Plan B, Avenue Georges-Henri 411, Woluwe Saint-Lambert Tel: 02 732 5456
English spoken – also French,
Spanish, Portuguese, & German – sometimes all in the same sentence
* What You See Is What You Get
