Aperitifs at the two-Michelin-star L'Air du Temps restaurant in the Belgian countryside are served al fresco overlooking a field of lavender and herbs, where chef and owner Sang-Hoon Degeimbre can often be found picking that day's ingredients.
The Korean-born chef, who credits his heritage for the Asian influences that permeate his celebrated cuisine, is known for putting his own spin on regional specialties, and during a recent visit, I got a taste of that inventiveness within five minutes of being seated.
Soup at L’Air du Temps, where chef Sang-Hoon Degeimbre puts an Asian-inspired twist on regional specialties. Photo Credit: Felicity Long
Instead of the traditional dish of mussels and fries, found in just about every self-respecting bistro in Belgium, we were served a single mussel in a faux shell made of crispy potato, accompanied by a chilled Rose de'Audrey wine.
Multiple courses followed, many featuring fermented flowers and vegetables and the chef's own blend of Korean tzatziki, served with accompanying wines, until eventually Degeimbre joined us to describe his vision for not only his restaurant but also the state of gourmet dining in Belgium.
He acknowledged that unlike, say, France, his adopted country is not known for a specific cuisine — except for individual specialties like mussels, waffles, chocolate and beer — but to him, that's an advantage. The multicultural nature of the country, where just about everyone speaks two or three languages, means that innovative cooking isn't met with resistance by locals, even in pastoral areas.
The restaurant, which also features five luxuriously decorated guestrooms, charges about $155 for a tasting menu that includes six appetizers and eight courses.
Our visit to L'Air du Temps was part of a tour showcasing some of the destination's attractions and activities designed to appeal to upscale travelers.
To that end, we continued the dining theme with a Dinner in the Sky experience in Brussels, which involves being strapped into harnesses and hoisted some 150 feet in the air via crane overlooking the Arcades at Cinquantenaire while being served dinner, Champagne and wine by a rotating roster of Michelin-starred chefs.
Not for those with fear of heights, the dinner is about $290 per person and lasts about 90 minutes.
Next year the Dinner in the Sky is scheduled for June 1 to 4 and will take place at Belgium's famous Atomium to mark the 10th anniversary of the dining experience.
Dinner in the Sky in Brussels hoists diners 150 feet in the air via crane for a meal served by Michelin-starred chefs. Photo Credit: Felicity Long
Brussels offers plenty of chocolate tasting venues, but one of the most exclusive is a workshop with chocolatier Laurent Gerbaud.
Gerbaud specializes in swapping out the ingredients typically found in Belgian chocolate, like masses of butter and sugar, for darker, denser confections laced with dried fruits and nuts.
Anyone can join the boutique's Saturday morning classes, where participants make and taste the chocolate, but those who wish to learn from Gerbaud himself must reserve well ahead and can expect to pay about $280 for the privilege. Wine and beer pairings are also available by prearrangement.
Design enthusiasts with deep pockets can visit More Than a House in Brussels, a beautifully restored home that also serves as a concept store. Not only is everything in the house and garden for sale, but the art and furnishings can be shipped anywhere, and the designers will come to you, no matter where you live, to offer their interior design services. The house is also available for full buyouts for customers who want to host concerts or other small, specialty events.
Our itinerary also included an exploration of Namur, a lovely city in southern Belgium that will be included in Avalon Waterways' cruise itinerary on the Meuse River starting next year.
Here we wandered through the gardens of the Annevoie Castle, known as the Versailles of Belgium and a popular spot for wedding photography.
The city is dominated by a beautiful Citadel, next to which is the posh Atelier de Parfumerie Guy Delforge, where private tours are available for those seriously interested in perfume.
We also stopped to taste the famous Bietrume of Namur, a caramel with cream and hazelnuts, at La Maison des Desserts, served in a picturesque, historical setting.
Creations at Laurent Gerbaud Chocolatier. Photo Credit: Felicity Long
Accommodations
In Brussels we stayed at the five-star Steigenberger Wiltcher's Hotel, where Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and U2 are among the luminaries who have taken over the 3,000-square-foot Royal Suite, which overlooks Avenue Louise. Expect to pay about $7,200 a night.
A gaggle of screaming girls surrounded another top contender, the Hotel Amigo, a Rocco Forte property housed in a former 17th-century jail that was home base for U.K. boy band One Direction while we were in town. The top digs, the 2,000-square-foot Armand Blaton suite with its massive terrace private kitchen and original art, costs about $6,700 a night.
For more on living the high life in Belgium, go to www.visitbelgium.com.