Sophie eats at The Jane

So I ate at The Jane in Antwerp. What an experience.

When my dining companions and I entered the imposing building and were shown to our table, we were initially silent. We looked around a little dazed. The building is beautiful, the kitchen immense, the staff exemplary. In short, we were impressed.

A little uncomfortable, but above all very excited about what was to come, we ordered the menu. In places like this, always go for the full works—you’re here now, after all. So you can choose between five, seven or nine courses? Go for nine.

Wine
A tip when eating at a Michelin-starred restaurant: drink wine and ask for advice. You can expect a capable sommelier to be at work, who knows exactly which bottle to put in front of you. Wine is also a good remedy for awkwardness, by the way. Once the first bottle of wine has been polished off, you generally become a little more talkative and feel more at ease. The same was true for my dining companions and me. After the second bottle, we chatted a lot and laughed loudly. After the third bottle, I asked the staff where we could drink cheap beer next.

Favorite dish
Everything, absolutely everything, was delicious. But I did have one favorite: guinea fowl with chicory, hay and truffle. During this course, we were silent—even though we had just ordered bottle number three. With our eyes occasionally closed, we savored every bite.

Eating at a place like The Jane is amazing. Save up, look forward to it, save up some more and then just go. It’s so incredibly worth it.