It is harder to get a table without reservation at Verdo, if you don't want to sit at the bar. So I booked ahead of time and I dressed in my nicest clothes. Judging by the chairs outside, you wouldn't think that a fine dining experience awaits you inside. 

Combinația de gresie turcoaz, lemn pal și vitraliu mă cucerește însă din prima. În interior, restaurantul este plin ochi. Deși am făcut rezervare, mi se spune că pentru o persoană doar la bar se poate. E vizibil că nu sunt prea fericită cu opțiunea, așa că sunt condusă până la urmă la o masă de două persoane, pe care trebuie să o eliberez în maximum două ore. Suficient pentru un fel principal și un desert.

They only have a digital menu, so I scan the QR code placed on the gorgeous table. I first order a simple tonic water, which comes with a stainless steel straw. Next to the glass, the waitress also places 3 more bowls of different sizes: the large one with bread, the medium one with olive oil and the small one with salt. I appreciate the details and dive into the menu.

I had already seen pictures online of their famous Tartar verdō, with salad and fries. However, I learn that this is a cold raw vegan dish, so I follow their recommendation and order seitan skewers, with mushrooms and potatoes. While waiting, I have plenty of time to admire the setup and enjoy the atmosphere.

The attention to detail is obvious

I already mentioned the table. It combines wood with cement tiles, following an imperfect pattern. On the table, you can find some black textile napkins. The tables are placed on a small interior terrace with a glass roof, allowing a gorgeous May sunset light to penetrate. The upper half of the walls is covered in bricks, contrasting the white paint, the black metal frames, and the strategically placed warm lights. This industrial-inspired design delights me.

On the walls - there are plants. And this time, they are all natural. What a joy! I think it's the first place on my trip to Brussels that has real plants. The design, the lights and the bright coloured ivy, accompanied by the good music, is what I call a great atmosphere.

Sweet, salty, sour and umami

You wouldn’t guess it judging by its common name, but my dish looks truly spectacular. As per usual, the actual eating is preceded by a short photo session. After that, I taste each ingredient separately, then I combine them all.

The potato wedges, baked with their skin on, are browned on the outside and tender on the inside. I slide a cube of seitan from the skewer. Its texture resembles pork, browned on the edges, but juicy once you bite into it. Its strong taste is a good indicator that it has been marinated before baking, maybe in some mustard, soy sauce and lots of spices. The sauce that complements the “steak” is made of avocado, with a generous handful of mint. Red and yellow tomatoes, along with onions, hide under the properly seasoned lettuce and the crunchy sprouts. What a balance between sweet - salty - sour and umami!

As you search beneath the salad, you discover more and more ingredients: some al dente green beans and some shiitake mushrooms that seem unbelievably fresh. At the same time, your taste buds will immediately get activated when your teeth will crush the thoroughly roasted and salted pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and cashews. 

If they taste so good separately, then you can imagine what it feels like when you combine them. Correctly cooked ingredients, accompanying each other in a perfectly balanced dish. Even if I am already full, the satisfaction makes me also order dessert, out of curiosity.

A light and creamy dessert

I would not normally choose rice pudding for dessert, but the rhubarb and the waiter’s recommendation persuaded me into doing so. The pudding is runnier than I expected, which is great as it differs from the rice pudding I had as a child. The coconut milk makes it extra creamy, but the rice grains are al dente, so there is a bit of texture in them. I notice the vanilla, but I can't taste it. I would have liked it to be more flavourful and sweet. 

Dar sigur o vor completa de minune compotul verzuliu de rubarbă, precum și crumble-ul de pesmet, nuci și migdale coapte, cu zahăr și sare. Într-adevăr, se echilibrează. Însă aș fi vrut un compot ceva mai dulce și clar mult mai mult crumble. Însă, per total, fiind foarte ușor și moderat ca gust, a intrat bine după un fel principal așa consistent. 

Fine dining attributes, checked

I declare myself fully satisfied. The simple but impactful design, really tasty food, impeccable service and excellent recommendations, these are the details that make the difference between a common dinner and a fine dining experience.

I look at the clock. I thought I would have plenty of time, so I am kind of surprised to see that almost two hours have passed, admiring, tasting and taking notes. I ask for the bill, pay, thank the hosts for the whole experience and start descending the hill, with a super full stomach and a big smile on my face.