Owned by Sang Hoon Degeimbre with a newer, larger location in the small town of Eghezee, L'Air du Temps has been posited by many to be Belgium's next Three Star recipient from Bibendum, the current Two Stars probably a fair assessment of the restaurant's current execution though the steady progression over time shows that the best is likely yet to come. Truly a work of passion, the Chef who came to Belgium by way of adoption at the age of five now one of its true culinary icons with his restaurant and style evolving since 1997, L'Air du Temps is now benefitted by a full culinary garden not unlike that of Hertog Jan and upping the ante by way of a more casual environment including "floating bread" hanging at each table on arrival the environment is as comfortable as it is classy, the naked wooden tables fitting the restaurant's embrace of nature rather nicely. Offering just two tasting menus, though those truly interested can indeed request just a few plates a la carte, it seemed as though all present in the packed house opted for the longer degustation and adding €10 for a composed Cheese course the total number of plates topped twenty, open bites including bites from the garden highlighted by a Mushroom tart with Indian Cress, the first of several herbs rarely seen on menus elsewhere. Poured a glass of lightly sweetend Fennel Juice to pair with early plates, peas with hand-ground cornmeal brightened by apple before a juicy oyster kissed with kiwi, Bread at L'Air Du Temps is another elegant Cereal Sourdough served with butter from "a farmhouse just a kilometer that way" plus one tinged with Ponzu, the later dangerous in that it will quickly see the Bread plate empty. Bringing in an impressive array of seafood, the large Red Shrimp flattened on Toast with a surprising boost from Carrots fresh from the garden, the first 'wow' moment of many came by way of what appeared to be a grey-white Ravioli at the center of the plate, a cut with the fork actually showing it to be completely made of Radishes overlying Caviar that foiled bitter with briny. Taken to the kitchen to stand while enjoying Liernu's Garden, the classic dish showing several Vegetables fresh from the earth in a fermented broth that helped to accentuate the freshness of each bite, return to the table saw Degeimbre launch into a one-two combination of lobster, the "Flower" served with Geranium and tomato juice while the signature pie is undoubtedly one of the most memorable dishes in all of Belgium with plenty of poached Crustacean off-set by frothy citrus cream. Refreshing mouths by way of a light leaf of sorbet charged tableside by gin, Ground Beets next found themselves crowned with Elderflower in a makeshift "Sesame Salad" and moving swiftly into 'noodles' comprised of Kohlrabi with an egg and shaved Tuna the palate was once again engaged to more savory elements, the lamb shoulder and 'oyster' both plated as beautifully as the courses before them with flavors that challenge conformity. No doubt a bargain for the Cheese Course, the sizable Mille-Feuille pairing soft cheese with Maple Syrup, Gingerbread Crisps and light Vanilla Cream, desserts at L'Air du Temps began with a dried Wasabi dusted in White Chocolate that ate like shaved Coconut, the Olive Oil and Lemon shards reminiscent of dessert number one at Hertog Jan while those that followed continued to show the kitchen's love of Spring flowers, the Rhubarb Pie almost as memorable as the Lobster one earlier while the Chocolate and Strawberries were simple yet pleasant, as too were the take-home lollipops from a tableside trolley. read more

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"L'air du temps" an exceptional gastronomic experience in a wonderful stylish atmosphere. Diner was simply extraordinary - a discovery of textures and flavors. Take the time to enjoy an evening of gustatory pleasure about 30min from Brussels. In love with this place! read more

'L'Air du Temps' is a culinary experience that explores the intricate bonds between food and science. The Chef, Sang-Hoon Degeimbre, has spent the last 10 years studying food, understanding processes and defining state of the art techniques to allow each ingredient to shine in your plate. He was one of the first to do sous-vide 'vacuum' cooking and his pioneering use of ultrasonics have cemented his standing as a cutting edge chef. The restaurant, a two Michelin Star establishment, is situated in the midst of farmland about 30 minutes down the E411 motorway from Brussels in the village of Liernu. You can't miss the large white barn and neighboring buildings that make up the premises. The restaurant has four dining areas and upstairs are five en-suite bedrooms. The other buildings host events and receptions, including the chef's weekend cooking classes. With 5 acres of land, they grow most of their own vegetables and fruit. Sang-Hoon works nearly exclusively with local products, sourcing missing ingredients from local producers that live nearby. We visited for my partner's birthday. It was a surprise night out for her that included dinner, a night's stay-over and breakfast. If you intend to indulge in the larger of the two menus (terroir contemporain) with the paired wines then you might want to book a room rather than risk being well over the drink-drive limit. They did offer an interesting non-alcoholic alternative with homemade juices. Making our way from Brussels to Liernu, we were warmly welcomed by the staff and shown our room for the night; a cozy place with a big double bed and a luxurious bathroom. After freshening up we proceeded to dinner. The meal started with a mix of small mise-en-bouche that included an oyster with cucumber and spices that tasted fantastic. The little stuffed parcels, with a crisp thin crust and flavorsome stuffing simply oozed with goodness. There was slow cooked fish and meat in the ensuing dishes, all of which were dressed with the upmost care and precision. It is impossible to describe the food so I've added a bunch of pictures to illustrate. The flavors are bold and at times quite daring. The ingredients are prepared in ways which we are not use to seeing, combining to deliver new textures and subtle flavors. As a Korean-Belgian chef, there are hints of Asian influences that blend in well with this avant-garde cooking. It is this fine art of not only showcasing all manners of cooking technique but also being able to deliver new, ever improving culinary sensations that gets this place so many accolades. I was also really happy that they'd taken time to prepare a special dessert to mark my girlfriend's birthday. It was made in front of us by the sous-chef and by the time we'd finished enjoying it, we had the pleasure of meeting chef Degeimbre as he took time to greet all the diners. Overall it was a very satisfying experience, from booking of the table and room for the night, to the warm welcome on arrival, through to dinner and all the way to fantastic breakfast. Staff were very helpful and friendly. To achieve two Michelin Stars you need to go beyond perfectly executed food and cooking techniques; you have to be different, to offer food that challenges the pallet and tinkles the taste buds in new ways. Chef Sang-Hoon Degeimbre certainly meets all the criteria by bringing bold and innovative cooking to the table. read more

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