After the extraordinarily long mild and dry spell, mid November it turned chill and damp, and it was time for a long overdue ladies' lunch and catch-up with Aunty Marianne. I like going for lunch with Aunty as I get to walk down the lovely Avenue Lambeau, ablaze with colour as the dying cherry trees made their last hurrah for the year. Aunty greeted me with a choice of gin and tonics - Hendrick's, or Gordon's Crisp Cucumber. I sipped a bit of each, and decided on the Gordon's which really did taste of cucumber. We watched with some amusement Othello the cat watching the telly for a while, before heading out to eat. Aunty used to rather favour Le Lido at the bottom of Avenue Georges Henri by the park gates, but was mortified to find on her last visit that the new management had installed TV SCREENS. The horror, the horror. When you dine out with Aunty, you know you'll be going somewhere Proper. She told me we were going to the Heisenberg, which rather threw me, having recently watched "Breaking Bad".
The Heydenberg, as it turned out to be called, is a rather staid looking Belgian/French brasserie on the corner of Avenue Heydenberg and rue de Décembre, opposite the De Baere bakery. On a Sunday lunchtime in November a few tables were occupied by ancients, average age about 95. Our arrival brought the average age down to about 75. Aunty was greeted effusively by the nice lady manageress, who is used to seeing Aunty with The Bloke, but was happy to accept me as a substitute, even though I don't flirt as much as he does apparently.
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| Croustillant de Brie |
For starters we both had Croustillant de Brie (Brie deep-fried in filo pastry) drizzled with honey and sprinkled with pine nuts and walnuts. I was delighted to see from the specials blackboard outside the restaurant that the game season had arrived, and the weekend special was Steak de Chevreuil (roe deer steak) with girolle mushrooms and fruits of the forest. Aunty went for the marcassin (baby wild boar) with similar edible decoration. Both dishes were served on a white rectangular plates with a quite delicious gamey gravy and liberally sprinkled with redcurrants, raspberries prunes and figs. Which reminded me we were nearly out of loo roll.
The meat was beautifully cooked and quite tender, which surprised me, as my earlier experiences with game, during my time with the late Major, convinced me that venison can be quite tough. Of course back then we used to buy our Christmas meat from a bloke round the back of the pub who would only take cash, which may have had something to do with it.
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| Wild boar in seasonal garnish |
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| Roe deer steak with similar seasonal garnish |
A half-litre of the house white with the starter didn't last long, and was swiftly followed by a half-litre of the house red. For pudding I had the individual home-made Tarte Tatin with chantilly and vanilla ice cream (I know - give me a break, it was Sunday) and Aunty had the crepes with vanilla ice cream. Her Atkins regime has fallen by the wayside recently, and I was lucky to catch her in between bouts of self-discipline.
Besides the specials, The Heydenberg also does a standard menu of meat, fish, pasta and light dishes such as omelette and croque monsieur, as well as desserts, and children's dishes. It has big plate glass windows on two sides through which to survey the denizens of Woluwe St Lambert going about their Sunday constitutional to the bakery or the park.
The
bill came to almost exactly 100 euros for two. Not cheap, but not
beyond the price range of two Grandes Dames either. And it's not often
you can hand over fifty smackers without a twinge of regret. It was
altogether the most tasty, satisfying meal I have had in a long time
(and I can't fault the company either). The ladies toilets are nothing
to write home about, but clean and the lock on the door works. It is an
entirely unpretentious, down-home, quiet family restaurant, with no
tellies.
Those old crones know a good deal when they see one.
I give the Heisenberg four stars: like Walter White*, I'll be back.
Brasserie Heydenberg
Avenue Heydenberg 17
1200 Woluwe St Lambert
Open 7 days a week, lunchtime and evenings
*I think that's who I mean. I'm afraid I fell asleep on the sofa before the end.
