Bouchéry. To me, the name alone sounds like a promise blown in the wind. And when you see Damien Bouchéry in action, when you taste his creations, Bouchéry is a promise kept. Damien is Breton and has many a dish under his belt. He stirred the kitchens in London, Geneva and Brussels. He used to wear the aprons at Bistrot du Mail (Michelin Starred) before opening the eponym restaurant with his partner Bénédicte Bantuelle.
Bouchéry is located on Chaussée d’Alsemberg 812 A in Uccle. You can come for dinner and choose among several menus : 3 courses, 5 courses or 7 courses (only Friday and Saturday). “Only open for dinner?” I hear you mutter. Yes, because here’s a secret: practically everything you eat at Bouchéry is homemade. So the crew spends the whole day preparing for dinner. From baking the sourdough bread to whipping up the butter, roasting the black garlic, looking after the fermented sprouts, picking up the herbs and flowers or making the cheese, Damien and his people keep busy all day long.
I went to Bouchéry some weeks back with a bunch of fellow bloggers and the crew from The Fork (who organised us a pretty cool lunch!) and Damien showed us the secrets of his kitchen, wine cellar and small factory of goods. We were all in awe and enjoyed his stories sipping a homemade elderflower lemonade in the leafy terrace. After baking the bread, he whipped up some butter using a Thermomix and rinsing the butter several times. After he squeezed all the buttermilk out of the butter, he threw in some sea salt and spices and boom : homemade delicious butter waiting for the bread to come out of the oven.
Downstairs, in his small factory of goods, he showed us the preparations underway: lentils in fermentation, ageing black garlic (btw, it tastes absolutely delicious!!), deli meats slowly air drying and cheese becoming… well… cheese. I was impressed by the variety of cheeses. From hairy stinky cheese to soft goat cheese and camembert-like fourmes.
Bouchéry is a time warp where minutes slow down and your senses are spoiled. The dishes are the verses of a delicious poem. Simple, delicate and elegant. Damien made us try a poached egg cooked to perfection with sprouted lentils and a potato mousse, then a meat so soft we used our spoons to eat it and as dessert, a delicate ice cream with caramelised rhubarb, strawberries and flowers. Truly mouthwatering. Needless to say, we finished with cheese and bread, as a good Breton would.
I really recommend you go to Bouchéry if you’re looking for a gastronomic experience with creative and refined cuisine using local and seasonal ingredients. And if you do, book using The Fork, as not only will you be booking the table, you’ll be benefiting from their scrumptious deals (up to 50% off) too!
Bouchéry, Chaussée d’Alsemberg Uccle – Open Monday to Saturday evenings – T: +32 (0)2 332 37 74
