Chez Luma, Uccle

Luma is pretty much the ideal neighborhood restaurant, the kind we'd all love to have just around the corner. Luka and Marius are at the helm of this little gem, and they've each given half their name to it... as if to say "Welcome to our place." Solo in his kitchen, Luka offers a necessarily short but incredibly tempting menu that can satisfy every craving, whether you're in the mood for meat or vegetables. Well done. On the plates, it's generous and balanced... exactly what you'd expect from a restaurant like this: an almost family-like comfort with just enough elegance to really nail it. Like his reflection on the other side of the bar, Marius is front and center taking care of the guests. The welcome is warm and friendly, his words are spot-on and get your mouth watering... Clearly, he loves what he's serving us, and since he knows and appreciates his wines, the advice he offers with restraint always hits the mark. A wonderful duo that seems to be built on a genuine friendship too. To wrap up, what's really nice when a small team and a small menu come together intelligently is that the prices reflect it. Starter, main course and dessert comfortably come in at around forty euros... not so obvious these days, especially at this level of quality. My only regret, honestly: living so far away from here.