restaurant review #375 – Amaranth is a plantbased fine dining restaurant in Merelbeke (close to Ghent). It is run by chef Pieter-Jan Lint and Carmen Duytschaever.
We’ve previously already tasted Pieter-Jan Lint’s creations at a party at friends (see HERE) and had take away for Christmas (see HERE). Delicious! So we were very pleased with this new restaurant (opened in 2022).
Went dining on a Friday evening in January 2023 to the restaurant in Merelbeke. No a la carte option, but one set menu with 11 courses (note: the appetizers were already 5 courses).
I’ll let the photos of the food speak for themselves, as there were too many ingredients to write down (see the photo of menu to get an idea).
The food was sublime! Heavenly. Nicely presented too. And very friendly service.
Very expensive though. 125€ for the Season’s menu and 50€ for accompanying non-alcoholic drinks with each course.
Luckily, we had a coupon as a present from friends, thank you 😄
It was however very crowded in the small restaurant. Tables fairly close next to each other. That made it extremely loud (accoustics), we could barely have a conversation, by the end of the evening we really wanted to leave. I had a splitting headache.
At that price, one would expect better comfort and attention to extras (wooden chairs, no table cloths, …). Those may be details, but add to the whole dining out experience (especially at that price).
One thing about the presentation. There was one dish (fake coquilles – from mushrooms) that was presented in a large clam/coquille shell. Don’t really like food being served in animal products., Even if the shell was fake (I know they make these looking very much like real shells, so could be) it gives the impression that animal products are OK to be used (I gave a presentation about this at the IARC: about vegan turkey and voiceless animals. See HERE – 😉)
Entrance not accessible (although they did mention they have a ramp available ‘in case’) – no accessible toilet. Toilets were nice and spotlessly clean and individual towels to dry ones hands.
All in all: a feast for your taste buds, very friendly, but very expensive (also compared to other gastronomical experiences we have had), not so comfy and relaxed setting. And I hope they drop the clam shell (fake or not) 😉
Amaranth, location
Ringvaartstraat 51
9820 Merelbeke
website: https://www.amaranth-plantbased.com/
Looking for restaurants?
See my lists of restaurants where vegans are welcome in the menu section of The Bruges vegan! List restaurants in Bruges and outside Bruges.
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