22 rue de la paix,
1050 Ixelles
website – 02 513 41 65
from tuesday to saturday, from 6:00 to 10:30pm
wednesday and friday from 12 to 2pm
closed on sunday and monday
lunch : 15,50€
4 course menu : 36€

 

It’s super hard not to be completely in love with Savage’s concept. A restaurant where meat and fish dishes are considered to be sides, and vegetables are the real deal. It fits perfectly with the times we live in, it’s simply right on point. For Joël, the chef, it’s something he’s been used to as a kid, and it makes even more sense to him now.

So on the menu, that means a lunch at 15,50€ and a 4-course dinner menu at 36€, vegetarian only. The idea is that the menu should be sufficient on its own, but if you feel like it, you’re free to order fish or meat as extras. That’s why we did, to live the experience fully, with a roasted duck breast to share, perfect with our mains of seaweed, broccoli, potatoes and apples, served with a delicious lacto-fermented juice. The duck dish however, though delicious, was quite big, even for two. Probably a size worth reconsidering to stay true to the concept. But if you had to remember one thing is that we loved our meal, which we enjoyed on one of the loveliest terraces of the neighborhood.

The plates – on which coffins, butterflies and skulls captivate your attention – were hand-painted in Holland and illustrated by people with disabilities. They’re very different from what we see everywhere these days, and we simply loved them. Inside, the decor of the former Kipkot – whose former owner Louis is now Chef Joel’s partner – has also been revamped from scratch. It’s a darker vibe, more elegant too, with an open kitchen to see the chef while remaining in an intimate atmosphere. We can already picture ourselves seated at one of the tables, coming back to try the menu in the evening.

One last thing: if you pass by, don’t leave without having gone to the bathroom…