Fine dining with Jan

We did it previous summer as well and now I profited from our week without children again to book some restaurants that we wouldn't visit with the children.  So while our boys were sleeping on a grassfield in tents in the middle of the Ardennes with their Scouting friends, Jan and I had 2 culinary dating evenings. 

I chose for Barba and Raffat, two praised restaurants downtown that we had not visited before. 

Barba : 

After some appetizers including a vegetable juice in a chemical tube, we opted for the 5 dish menu.  

Mackerell with lime, kokos, radish and Daikon

Zucchini flower with tomato , citrus and olive

Sea bass with kumquat, sumac and carot

Iberico with Blackwell, cowliflower and bell peper

A cheese platter from Van Elsen, the best cheese store in Leuven 2 houses further from Barba with even a cheese beer brewed for Van Elsen

I really enjoyed the evening and the food but compared to the year before Taste, with the passionate chef who comes to explain the dishes himself at the table, Taste is just one level higher. 

Raffat 

Raffat exists in Leuven since 2021 and has been immediately a hit with a hip trendy reputation. 2 Pakistani cousins have founded this restaurant in the memory of their mother/aunt and use her traditional recipes with a modern fashionable touch.

I had seen the signature coctail with its big bell so often on Instagram before that I ordered it without any doubt. Ha my own bell to drink :). 

We chose once again for the menu in order not to have the burden of choosing.   The concept is food sharing so we got a series of dishes, all served in original ways. 
I must say that by the time dessert came by I just couldn't eat anymore. Too much restaurant in a short time but it's been very good.  Glad to tick off Raffat from our list too. (Oh and since they also have an a la carte menu and are known to serve food very fast also in an early evening shift, we might consider coming back her with the boys after all. I think they might be open for some of the dishes).