After having seen the chefs from Aan de Poel** whilst having lunch at Restaurant 212, we thought that a visit there was long overdue.
So, the next week we headed over there for a “quick” lunch (only 2½ hours 😇).
Their menu card mentions their 4-weekly seasonal 6-course Chef’s Dinner menu (€119) as well as the à la carte section with 9 “Aan de Poel Specials”, their signature dishes (€28-58) – many of them available as starter and main dish sizes – as well as 6 desserts and a cheese board (€20-34). However, the choices for lunch are stricter: either a selection from the à la carte section or a rotating Chef’s Lunch menu that’s announced at the table. That menu consists of 3 or 4 courses (€ 55/62 including dessert).
The options for that day’s lunch weren’t part of the seasonal Chef’s Dinner menu, which I think was a pity as there were some pretty tempting dishes on there. We made our decision over a glass of their Coutier champagne (€13,50 per glass) and opted for the 4-course lunch menu in regular and vegetarian options.
We started off with 3 amuses. Especially the one on the right (Mushroom, different preparations of Cauliflower and Crispy Shallots) was a great way to kick-off.
What was served during lunch was – as usual – a feast for the senses. The stunning-looking dessert had exactly the right balance between fresh, tangy and sweet. Chantal’s favorite was the Ajoblanco (I thought it was splendid too) and I think that the quail was one of the best-cooked ones I ever had. We had accompanying wine pairings (€10 per glass and €5 for my halfsies) which turned out great wines from France, Australia, Germany, Austria, and Israel.
Honorary mention for the elaborate and very generously portioned vegetarian dishes. They were delightfully fresh, had full-on flavors, nice contrasting textures and definitely not a re-dux version of the “regular dishes”. As the vegetarian menu turned out to be only €52 when we got the bill, it’s a real bargain too.
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