Pushing the door of Bistrot Blaise, in the heart of Marche-en-Famenne, means being greeted with nothing but smiles and warm welcomes.
In the home of François-Xavier Simon and Hanna Matyja lies the ultimate desire to create a true atmosphere of kindness, a distinct conviviality that immediately wins over the guest. A sort of “we will take care of you” that beautifully embodies the spirit of these magnificent innkeepers, in the noble sense of the term. It would take a cold and rigid heart not to join them in this welcoming waltz.

A child of the region, François-Xavier Simon’s path is stitched with golden threads: Namur Hotel School, Georges V in Paris, then the kitchens of Joël Robuchon and ‘Il Pagliaccio’ in Rome, before spending twelve years with the one who will forever be his mentor, Pierre Gagnaire. Hanna, his partner in heart, certainties, and doubts, lights up the dining room with cheerful service; she, born in Poland, moved from her homeland to Deauville, then Paris and George V, where her smile and joy still resonate.

The project of Bistrot Blaise was born, took shape, and grew during the lockdown periods. These suspended moments offer the beauty of allowing time, granting space for ideas to germinate and projects to bloom. From this realm of possibilities arose the ambition of these strong, inspired souls, revealing that everything can emerge from nothing.

History brought François-Xavier back to his land, his family, and his grandmother, this Mamie who once ran a grocery store—a small shop filled with treasures, as we all once had nearby. A Mamie to whom hunters flocked during the season to find the finest game. Sweet nostalgia.

The cuisine of FX Simon, beyond its profound nature and rare identity, exudes openness to the entire world; as if the chef had absorbed all the terroirs, spices, and fragrances of the globe. This feeling is nourished by small details, those tiny elements that catch us off guard and take us by surprise; here, a delicate spice, there, a perfectly executed acidity. A cuisine conceived brilliantly and executed passionately by a young brigade driven by love for the craft and entirely marked by their chef’s personality: full of flavor, radiant in its soul, readable, bold, and masterful, where each element adds to the whole. Brilliant.

An absolute delight begins with the Ancelin Oyster, umami radish, plum vinegar, and the Fish and Pork Trotter Brandade Croquettes, cocktail sauce, as a sharing prelude. The journey continues with the Grandmother's Beef Broth, open ravioli with shredded oxtail and brisket, Crab Meat, bonito, samphire, Carpaccio of Long Turnips, purslane, Potato Gnocchi, Parmesan, black truffle Melanosporum, Pheasant Blanquette, pearl onions, button mushrooms, Brussels sprout petals, Veal Sweetbread Meunière, braised endive, tardive radicchio, ‘pomelo’ cordyceps, Sauerkraut Ravioli with World Peppers, celery, cheddar, veal jus, gomasio, Sicilian tahini, and the Roasted Anjou Pigeon, cooked on the carcass, fillets served with a ‘Winter 2025’ condiment: celery, butternut squash, pear, yellow beet, kale, green papaya salad, confit thighs, pigeon jus with maple vinegar and pink grapefruit.

Some people create bonds between products, plates, and emotions—our emotions. A truly intense experience.

LD