Our latest Dining in Brussels article invites you to take a walk on the side.
From the moment you walk through the corridor that leads you into Bagheera, you know you are entering somewhere special. They chose the name Bagheera after the black panther in Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book – and the jungle theme runs throughout the restaurant. The design is perfect in every sense. A huge earthen vase sprouting huge verdant leaves takes centre stage, and you can see the terrace just beyond it – beyond that is the Bois de la Cambre. The main dining area’s ceiling is festooned with bright white ‘lustres’, hanging lights that have been adorned with semi-transparent circles – added by the staff on the first night of the Covid lockdown. When the wind picks up from the wood these little circles create a gentle chiming chorus.
Then there’s the food. We sat at one of the tables handmade especially for the restaurant. We were given homemade bread, butter that had shallots through it and a saucer of olive oil made in small quantities by a firm in Rixensart. We went for the daily menu, both of us starting with the Risotto with (crunchy) scampi. Then I plumped for the roasted duck salad and my dining partner went for the cod and soft-boiled eggs. Excellent food all around. All around the walls were glass cases filled with bottles of gin, champagne, whisky… you name it. I tried a few of the delicious, rich reds available in their impressive wine collection.
As Bagheera’s website states: “Get ready to step into the wildest environment in Brussels.” Well, it can get quite wilder later on in the evening since it transforms itself into a lively night club.
www.bagheerarestaurant.com
