 |
| Pictures with very few light, no flash off course.
It’s always nice to discover a brand new restaurant in your neighborhood, especially when you’re one of the first…. |
Ghent has been spoiled over the last year concerning exciting concept-and bistro resto’s (Vitrine, Jef, ..)
pop up’s (Gaston),’chocolateries'(Yuzu),cocktail bars(Roomer) and handmade fast-food (Wim’s Balls and Glory).
But you only know that something’s missing, when you know it exists. Well, after visiting the ab fab restaurant-room-with-a-view-to-die-for ‘M’, we knew it straight away: this was definitely missing in Ghent.
A cosmopolitan, penthouse-like venue with an amazing view on Ghent, it’s glorious towers, industry and history. The restaurant building itself is based in the middle of a kind of a ‘war zone’: the Tondelier site has a great ‘under-construction’ feel, and the fact that you know the place is part of a 10 year renovation plan, adds to the ‘you have to find it-fun‘.
Turn in at de Gasmeterlaan, squeeze your car between the beton pillars at the entrance, and find yourself a parking spot around the building.
You enter the restaurant with a 30 meters high construction elevator (love it), fixed at the side of the old ‘De Molens‘ factory. Perfect ‘maitre’ Michel, who we know from previous success horeca projects like Gaston, picks up the guests downstairs and accords them to the first ‘waw’ moment of the evening: the arrival at the outside entrance terrace.
No need to say that this is a project from somebody who knows how it works, who knows the drill and is not afraid to try new things. And that’s exactly the man Eric De Wagenaere, owner and ‘soulman’ behind this project, is: driven, experienced and always ready for new challenges.
To make it easy, and that’s what we think this place can take, there is just the menu of 70 euro’s including wine. Everybody eats the same dishes and this makes the place quite relaxed and very chill. No busy waiters, not the typical changing of the plates, this ‘service’ goes smooth and stylish like you are a guest at some fancy home party on a rooftop.
The James Bond interior references are subtile but still a gimmick. Good that it stays discrete like 007 himself.
I don’t really like theme-gimmicks in concept venues that much…The only Bond gimmick I really love is the Bollinger, the only champagne that’s served. Indeed.
The food is nice. Original amuses, the solettes grillé fresh and tasty, and desert, yes mmmm….
The menu we had? Here you are.
 |
| Bijschrift toevoegen |
 |
 |
| Japanese whisky. |
Later that week, on Tuesday, I was invited for a trend round table discussion on ‘Hospitality and technology’, organized by the guys and girl from Venuez Magazine. Guess where we were invited?
Yeah! Lucky girl. I know.
 |
| Herman Konings, Tom Palmaerts, and me talking with the industry about the future. |
Limited in place (Max. 20 people I guess), and limited in availability too: M with a view is only open Thursday and Friday nights. And that’s fine, and it makes it more exclusive.
Other days and nights this exceptional venue is open for private parties
M with a view stays open 3 years, so don’t say you were too late to discover this ‘world-city-worthy’ restaurant. You have plenty of time. And, take some foreign friends, they will be impressed!