Les Brigittines
Because it is just and good.
Nowadays, countless establishments are boosted by inflated and pompous trends, addresses infused and praised by an intelligentsia marching in step with press releases, hailing absolute genius at the alignment of three forgotten vegetables or a revisited chipolata; a parade of ephemeral and necessarily meteoric concepts that fill certain columns. Our column - the spinal one, the one that keeps us standing, brings us back to this beautiful house, within walls where all seasons are beautiful. It leads us straight to this address that withstands weeks, months, years, the storms of time, and the turmoil of cities.
Les Brigittines is one of those houses where time is marked by the repetition of just and noble gestures, a table where the exercise of daily life is not dressed in tight movements, where the economy of emotions is unknown. Dirk Myny is one of those who carry the heavy responsibility of an original national gastronomy on their shoulders.
And there, precisely, in Brussels, between the Sablon and the Marolles, Dirk Myny tirelessly continues his work. Benevolent and driven by a fierce desire to give good, he pursues his path, spreading his appetite for life and sharing his tasty and generous devotion to the table. Born to a Flemish father and a Walloon mother, Dirk Myny is one of those. To counter uniformity, the chef has embraced brasserie-style cuisine to reinterpret and enhance its contours. Obsessed with flavor, Dirk Myny has made the product the center of his work. To do this, he favors local products but does not hesitate to source the best from other regions when a preparation demands it. His terroir is gourmet. Each dish is unique because each product is unique, and here, the cuisine is not weighed. In search of authenticity, Dirk Myny shares with you a traditional cuisine that he continuously claims and reinvents, a cuisine that sounds just right.
This results in some highlights, including his now-mythical "Zenne Pot," which is cabbage cooked in gueuze beer presented on a bed of bloempanch, dry sausage, and whelks. All for a subtle play on acidity. But there are also his incessant variations on a classic: Vol-au-vent. We remember this seasonal variation with asparagus and morels, gueuze mousseline, and fries, and more recently, this Charlotte potato mash, browned butter, and gray shrimp. A simple dish that leaves a mark on the heart.
The setting also stands firm. Located in a former post office transformed into an Art Nouveau-style restaurant that he took over more than 25 years ago, the theater of Les Brigittines is punctuated by period paintings, green walls, a large fireplace, woodwork, and sensual lines, transporting you to a gastronomic elsewhere, far from the current consensus.
One last word on the drinks menu. Logically, the selection veers off the beaten path where many unsuspected vintages rest. Among other things, one discovers one of the most beautiful Alsace wine lists in the capital. Dirk Myny knows the vineyards of this region like the back of his hand. Tirelessly sharing his pleasure of discovery, he can offer you rare wines rather than visible brands or a brewing gem like the Cantillon gueuze.
LD