Alexandre has existed for quite some time now, but only for the past year and a half has Robin been the head chef at the marvelous restaurant on Rue du Midi. It’s a welcoming place that invites you to sit in its big armchairs, surrounded by some splashy pieces of art and brick walls. Big cylinder-shaped beige lamps are hanging from the ceiling, providing dimmed and warm lighting. Eating here is perfect for a special occasion, or just to enjoy haute cuisine at star-level while getting some time out amid the buzz of Brussels.
The restaurant owner is Anca, an affable woman with great taste for wines, interior and of course, for food. Robin complements her perfectly; when he started at Alexandre, he decided to give the dishes a female, elegant and filigree twist. Robin (or The Robin, as he’s called by friends in the food scene) is, to say the least, a perfectionist and everything about his dishes is well thought through; the colours, tastes, textures and of course the ingredients; the produce is well-balanced and perfectly aligned with each other. On top of this, the restaurant has a sustainable outlook, wasting as little food as possible and using each ingredient wherever and however possible. What’s in the sauce, dressing or puree, is usually also on top of the dishes, such as shiso, violet petals or wild leaves.
To follow the seasons, the menu changes frequently, with one element usually being replaced every two or three weeks. In summer, you might find dry aged milk cow or all kinds of baked, smoked, cured or raw fish dishes on the menu. While towards winter and spring time it could be game duck or milk-lamb that you’ll discover on your plate. The dishes are never ordinary or boring, you’ll always experience something you haven’t eaten or even heard of before, such as tamarillo, juice from young pines or verbena. Once, for example, there was a deconstructed Lobster roll on the menu, inspired by Robin’s wife’s stay in Boston. The Lobster was sautéed in garlic, served in a delicate and very flavourful sauce made from toast, baked apple and tamarillo, lemon and mustard. On the plate there were also green tomatoes, chervil and a juice reduction from young pines. This dish was so surprising and interesting, while being very tasteful and an absolute colour bomb, intensified by the blue plate it was served on.
Service and kitchen staff are utterly lovely and it’s visible that the team at Alexandre is a team of people, who love food and want to bring it to their guests in the most perfect way. It’s haute cuisine with creative tastes and dishes in a non-pretentious, but welcoming and warm setting.
Address: Rue du Midi 164, 1000 Bruxelles
Prices: Quick lunch 28€, Lunch 40€, Grand Lunch 60€, Petit menu 70€, Grand menu 120€