LESS Eatery (Love, Eat, Share, Smile) by Hertog Jan*** is the new concept created by Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens in the centre of Bruges following the closure of their flagship 3 Michelin Star restaurant Hertog Jan at the end of last year.
The new all-day eatery serves food from morning till late in the evening. A lot has been written about this new opening. Here we look at what’s on the menu.
The day starts with breakfast that is served between 8.30am to 11am. Sweet dishes includes homemade Danish pastry which Gert has been perfecting in recent months to granola and Greek yogurt. There also are savoury dishes like eggs benedicts or artisan baguettes with savoury or sweet toppings.
When the breakfast service finishes, there is a transition to lunch which is served from 12 noon till 2.30pm.
Bites and drinks are served in between breakfast and lunch and also in between the lunch and dinner service.
Among the bites available one can choose a selection of Jamon iberico, pan con tomate, kentucky fried chicken, spicy fried squid, anchovies from Spain lightly salted and served naturally and also sesame prawn toast. The Air Pistolet – a tribute to El Bulli is worth a try.
For the menu, that is served for lunch, pre-theatre or dinner, there is a selection of cold starters, sashimi specials as well as hot and Robata specials.
Among the signature dishes is the Ceasar salad, the Vitello Tonato, the turbot Hong Kong style, the crispy duck salad and the miso chicken.
The menu is inspired by Gert’s travels and also what he likes to eat at home with family and friends. You will find the L.E.S.S. Marrakech burger which used to be served at the old L.E.S.S. as well as an assortment of dishes like the O-toro with nori crackers and pickled cucumber or dim sum and glazed eggplant with miso and sesame.
There is also a large number of main courses from salt-crusted sea bass to turbot cantonese style and Spicy beef masala. The other mains are Robata specials which include a Lobster sambai, miso chicken, Holstein strip loin or different cuts of Wagyu beef.
For side dishes, there is a selection that includes the signature L.E.S.S. fries, grilled lettuce, thai eggplant and shiitake skewers among others.
Robata is a Japanese method of cooking similar to barbecue in which food is cooked at varying speeds over hot charcoal.
The kitchen team will be run by chef Ruige Vermeire who was also in charge of the old restaurant that will be turned into a traditional Flemish bistro.
Joachim provides a great selection of wines and beers. He leaves the well-trodden paths and presents new discoveries from all over the world.
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