Last weekend I had the chance to try one of Maastricht's most amazing restaurants:
Le Bon Vivant. Far away from the touristic trouble, but still in the city centre of Maastricht, the restaurant is located in the Capucijnenstraat, a romantic side street. The entrance from tendrils entwined, you walk down the stairs, lined by wavering candles, entering this cosy, enchanted vaulted cellar and it makes you feel like passing over into a different world.
Le Bon Vivant. Far away from the touristic trouble, but still in the city centre of Maastricht, the restaurant is located in the Capucijnenstraat, a romantic side street. The entrance from tendrils entwined, you walk down the stairs, lined by wavering candles, entering this cosy, enchanted vaulted cellar and it makes you feel like passing over into a different world.
The Le Bon Vivant is a high-class French cuisine restaurant owned by Caspar Stijntjes (right) and Björn Dijkstra (left). The two owners know each other already since their student time and always shared their passion for gastronomy and delivering high class dinner experiences to the people. After travelling for a while and discovering the cuisines of the world, they are now back in Maastricht were everything started. Since October 2013 the Le Bon Vivant is their masterpiece, surprising us every three months with a new menu, and let me guess, you are probably already a bit jittery? Then join me into a mind-blowing and marvellously beautiful food experience, I absolutely recommend to try!
We entered quite early so we were lucky and could choose the nicest spot, but in no time more and more guests arrived and filled the place with a cosy and enlivening atmosphere.
As a starter an amazing tasteful, fluffy bread with a heavenly crispy crust and really good olive oil, butter and sea salt was served. And if you think bread is bread let me put you right, this was an extraordinary experience! I went for the butter topped with some salty crunchiness.
After a while our amuse - gueule arrived. A shotglas with fresh Bloody Mary, made of vodka and gazpacho, and a Sechuan Button from waterlily, which activates your taste buds. And boy, this was a tinkling feeling in my mouth. Next to it a Boudin Blanc was served, a white sausage from chicken mousse, filled with mushrooms and crushed pistachios, topped off with aceto balsamico and a nut pesto from almond and pistachio.
This carefully selected and absolutely creative start was whetting our appetite for more of these outrageous taste adventures.
This carefully selected and absolutely creative start was whetting our appetite for more of these outrageous taste adventures.
I love cooking and high quality food, and since I am always a bit nosy about restaurant kitchens, I was happy as a child, when I got the chance to sneak some pics from the chef himself in action. When do you ever get the chance to learn from the best?
After chatting a while and sharing some cooking secrets ( yesss, I finally know how to make...oh yeah, sorry its a secret) I discovered that our first course was in preparation and I raced back to our place to enjoy the food and what shall I say....it was a revelation.
I went for tiger prawns in tempura, bedded on a tomato concassé and topped off with a caviar from sea weed, rock chives, and lemon foam. Served was this fabulous combination with a sweet corn velouté, which went perfectly well with the other flavours and textures.
The first bite felt like snuggling into a cosy blanket holding a warm cup of tea, while outside it is cold a rainy.
While I was forgetting the world around me for a moment, my Mr. enjoyed his scallop served in two different ways: pan fried and ceviche, so sliced very finely. Puffed quinoa, adding a slightly nutty taste, parsnip purée and chips, cucumber slices marinated in gin tonic, and Affilla cress made this first course an unforgettable taste experience. Luckily I could steal a bite and it was amazing.
The first bite felt like snuggling into a cosy blanket holding a warm cup of tea, while outside it is cold a rainy.
While I was forgetting the world around me for a moment, my Mr. enjoyed his scallop served in two different ways: pan fried and ceviche, so sliced very finely. Puffed quinoa, adding a slightly nutty taste, parsnip purée and chips, cucumber slices marinated in gin tonic, and Affilla cress made this first course an unforgettable taste experience. Luckily I could steal a bite and it was amazing.
After a while our second course arrived and as you can see for yourself, it looks promising.
I went for pork belly sous-vide, so the meat is packed in a vacuum bag and cooked in warm water for 18 hours. The end result is absolutely soft and tasteful. Combined with langoustine, bedded on crushed mint-lemon garden peas in an outrageous Madeira sauce and topped off with Affilla cress, my second course was heaven-sent.
A bit jealous I was sneaking a bite again of my Mr.'s second course. Since I love truffle and lobster, this is definitely what I recommend if you love those two things the same way I do.
He went for a ballotine from lobster and quail, bedded on a Sauce Américaine and purée of beetroot and truffle oil. Topped was the whole art piece with a crispy quail skin.
And even if it is out of place, I had to dip the rest of this sauce with some of the amazing bread, it was simply too good.
I went for pork belly sous-vide, so the meat is packed in a vacuum bag and cooked in warm water for 18 hours. The end result is absolutely soft and tasteful. Combined with langoustine, bedded on crushed mint-lemon garden peas in an outrageous Madeira sauce and topped off with Affilla cress, my second course was heaven-sent.
A bit jealous I was sneaking a bite again of my Mr.'s second course. Since I love truffle and lobster, this is definitely what I recommend if you love those two things the same way I do.
He went for a ballotine from lobster and quail, bedded on a Sauce Américaine and purée of beetroot and truffle oil. Topped was the whole art piece with a crispy quail skin.
And even if it is out of place, I had to dip the rest of this sauce with some of the amazing bread, it was simply too good.
Before the third course could arrive we had to arrange some more wine and of course the recommendations by Caspar Stijntjes were absolutely perfect.
As a third course I choose a grilled rib eye steak from the Belge Bleu Blanc, bedded on puffed onion purée, dried tomatoes, grilled gem lettuce and zucchini, and confit potato. Topped off was this tasteful combination with a red wine sauce and some fresh pepper! I love fresh pepper...
This time my Mr. choose veal, wich was cooked sous-vide with perfectly fluffy gnocchis garden peas, broad beans and haricot beans, all tossed in sage butter. Accompanied by bitterballen from veal tongue and topped off with sauce from morels, this third course can only be described as ....to be honest, I am running out of words for this perfect combination of flavours and textures.
This time my Mr. choose veal, wich was cooked sous-vide with perfectly fluffy gnocchis garden peas, broad beans and haricot beans, all tossed in sage butter. Accompanied by bitterballen from veal tongue and topped off with sauce from morels, this third course can only be described as ....to be honest, I am running out of words for this perfect combination of flavours and textures.
After having a small break and sneaking a chat with the chef again - yes I cannot get enough of cooking advice - it was absolutely time for dessert, cause what would life be without dessert.
Served with the perfect fit of a desert wine, I enjoyed a moelleux a chocolate, accompanied by a heavenly fluffy chocolate mousse and raspberry sorbet on dark chocolate crumbles, bedded on a raspberry coulis and topped off with Aclla cress... I was delighted.
My Mr. went for a mini Tart Tartin with caramel ice cream, cinnamon mousse, crunchy crumbles of hazelnut, bedded on salted caramel. Topped off with the most amazing apple chips (yes he had to share with me) I've ever had.
My Mr. went for a mini Tart Tartin with caramel ice cream, cinnamon mousse, crunchy crumbles of hazelnut, bedded on salted caramel. Topped off with the most amazing apple chips (yes he had to share with me) I've ever had.
The wine supply for that evening was amazing and really well selected by Sauter Wijnen, a local wine supplier.
For Caspar Stijntjes and Björn Dijkstra it is essential to work together with local suppliers, not only to guarantee a constant high quality of ingredients but also to ensure a steady harmonization of food and wine.
For Caspar Stijntjes and Björn Dijkstra it is essential to work together with local suppliers, not only to guarantee a constant high quality of ingredients but also to ensure a steady harmonization of food and wine.
Besides the amazing wine and dine experiences, you can also enjoy the perfect conjunction of history integrated in nowadays architecture here. Since back in time this location was a brewery, a sheer endlessly deep well is placed in the middle of the room: absolutely a little highlight. Since I am afraid of heights, I preferred to walk around it, but still nosy as I am, I had to make some pictures and try a tiny little bit over the edge.
Le Bon Vivant - it's been a pleasure! I would like to express my gratitude to you for an unforgettable evening of superlative taste experiences, created and served by amazing people in an atmosphere beyond compare. It was full of laughter, happiness, outrageous wine and dine experiences, and I will definitely come back soon.
Au revoir and tot ziens until the next heavenly food adventure.
Au revoir and tot ziens until the next heavenly food adventure.