A day of sightseeing left me tired and exhausted. So before I went out for dinner I took a power nap to be refreshed for dinner at Patrick Devos. I had planned and booked my table in advance and was astonished when the reservation was confirmed but then the restaurant wanted to know at which hotel I was staying. I found a bit off-putting (maybe because I was staying in the Lybeer Hostel and it was none of their business) but in the end they were happy with my phone number and anyway I showed up on time. There is a point in not spending money on accommodation, at least for me.
The restaurant had two dining rooms and a lovely garden which was not used that evening except by a couple of smokers. I had a nice table in the corner, having a great view over one room and the garden.
dining room and garden @Patrick Devos
To start the evening off I ordered a G&T which weirdly came with cardamom seeds. I needed a fork to all the little bits out. The drink itself was very good though. I decided to go with the 4-course Alliance menu.
First came the amuse gueule, which was some green tea with sea food, I think. I can’t really remember any more but the taste was lovely and the dish beautifully arranged. It came with a “lobster” chip made from green tea as well, I think, on a bed of tea.
amuse gueule @Patrick Devos
amuse gueule @Patrick Devos
Then came a round of starters which was also not part of the menu. So nice to get little bits extra. All bites were very tasty except for the quiche which tasted dry and had too much dough and not enough filling. Speaking of dough, the roll that was served with the cover was in my case tomato flavored. Or at least this is what I was told. It was tasteless and dry. Totally not up to the standard at this place. Might also be that the bread in Belgium is like this, but I don’t think so.
amuse gueule @Patrick Devos
Then we were finally starting with the first course, a mix of eggplant and goat cheese with truffle. Truffle is not really my favorite but it worked well in this dish. All in all a lovely mix of texture and flavor. The only sore point here is that the presentation is not really stimulating. The colors are all a shade of grey.
Caviar of eggplant with goat cheese, summer truffle, olive cake, watercress sauce @Patrick Devos
Next on my table was the baked sea bass with green vegetables. A wonderful combination of colors, texture and taste. The fish was right on point and seasoned to perfection. Absolutely fabulous.
Baked sea bass caught with the line, mix of green vegetables, chive sauce with sage @Partick Devos
The main dish was pigeon with artichoke and cauliflower. I didn’t know what to expect since I never had pigeon before. I only associate them with a health hazard in the city. Really not my kind of poultry. What can I say, I was pleasantly surprised. The meat was tender and juicy and melting in my mouth. The whole combination with the accompaniment worked well but the color was off again. Aren’t they looking in the kitchen how the dish looks on the plate?
Pigeon with artichoke, cauliflower, fondant potato, young turnips, sauce of Madeira @Patrick Devos
Before dessert there was another little surprise from the kitchen, an absolutely delicious raspberry cream (light on the cream), accompanied by some citrus ice cream (I think, really sorry that I didn’t write all the courses down immediately).
raspberry cream with ice cream @Patrick Devos
By now I was quite happy with the food and the accompanying wine selection. All was wonderful in taste and preparation, just the color selection needed stepping up a bit. Which happened with the next course, the real dessert. It was a mousse of verbena and basil with a cucumber soup. Very pleasing to the eye and the taste buds, the colors just right but in the end not the dessert I wanted. I can’t tell you why, maybe I just needed more sugar. In the end I got it with the assorted sweets that came with the coffee. Funnily enough the little lemon pie with fruits had the right amount of dough to filling ratio. I wonder why it only worked with the this dish and not the savory snack bite.
Mousse of verbena and basil, cremeux of basil, cucumber soup, sorbet of mint and lime @Patrick Devos
assorted sweets @Patrick Devos
Overall the experience at Patrick Devos was very pleasant. I loved that the tables were set apart in the dining room and the while atmosphere was one of a private dinner. Service was attentive and very friendly. Except for the tomato bread which was flavorless and crumbly, all dishes tasted great. Definitely worth a visit! Yours, Pollybert
Patrick Devos
Zilverstraat 41, 8000 Bruges
Tel: +32 (0) 50 33 55 66
info@patrickdevos.be
Kitchen open from 12-13 and 19-21
Closed on Wednesday evenings,
Saturday afternoons and Sundays
https://www.patrickdevos.be/en/home
