The trendiest court of the moment
It’s one of the season’s pleasant surprises: just a stone’s throw from the Grand-Rue – yet surprisingly quiet – the Bistro des Capucins has taken over the premises of the former Café des Capucins (a Luxembourg institution that has had several incarnations) with a straightforward and confident offering. The team from the Bonne Nouvelle (
At lunchtime, the three-course set menu is €39. We started with a tomato gazpacho served with grilled cheese toast – the gazpacho, bright and well-seasoned, is almost more like a vinaigrette than a cold soup, which is no criticism. The toast, however, lacks a bit of character. For the main course, the trout fish cake with capers and chervil is slightly heavy on the oil, but the flavour is there. It’s the sort of cuisine you could almost recreate at home – and that may well be the intention. The menu won’t be to everyone’s taste; we saw a couple leave the table. But for those looking for a trendy spot in an unexpected stone setting, the terrace at the Bistro des Capucins is well worth a visit.
Address: Passage Marc Olinger, Luxembourg (City Centre)
On the rooftops of the Place d’Armes
La Cristallerie’s terrace didn’t exist last year. It’s there now, perched on the rooftops of the Hôtel Le Place d’Armes (Relais & Châteaux), with views over the rooftops of the city centre and a few beautifully laid tables. On the day we tried the new summer menu that chef Milan Brée had created for the occasion, the weather wasn’t on our side. We ate indoors, but the menu was certainly up to scratch.
The five-course ‘Reflet’ menu (€115) proved to be more generous than advertised. The amuse-bouches set the tone: a savoury courgette and Comté madeleine, a tartlet with cream and pickled radishes, and a soufflé pizza. For the starter, the soft-boiled egg with Aquitaine caviar, shredded potato and peas is precise and unpretentious. The Breton blue lobster is served in two forms (turnip and verbena oil on one side, lobster roll with the claw on the other). What perhaps made the biggest impression on our table was the mocktail pairing, devised by the chef himself (sea lettuce and ginger infusion, white asparagus juice and Greek yoghurt water, all-rhubarb), to the extent that our neighbours, who had opted for the wine pairing, were eyeing our glasses with a certain envy. With this level of consistency and mastery, one can’t help but think that the Michelin Guide would do well to pay a visit.
Address: 18 place d’Armes, Luxembourg (City Centre)
On the banks of the Pétrusse, no fuss
The terrace at Brasserie Mansfeld has neither parasols nor a pergola (just trees overhead and the Alzette river a stone’s throw away). It’s the perfect spot to meet up with family, friends or as a couple, in a relaxed atmosphere that’s anything but stuffy. The dishes are served on Villeroy & Boch’s ‘Vieux Luxembourg’ tableware, the service is attentive and the music reflects the establishment’s Beaulieu heritage.
Behind the revival are the duo Cyrille Schneider (Brasserie Beaulieu) and Mathieu Morvan, former chef at L’Hêtre Beim Musée. The former brings his supply networks (meat from Rungis, cheeses from Savoie), the latter his gourmet’s eye, yet always in keeping with the brasserie spirit. For starters, the homemade Luxembourgish pork pâté en croûte with sun-dried tomatoes and Thai basil is a fine demonstration of this balance, and the egg with mayonnaise (enhanced with truffle and homemade mayonnaise) reminds us that the classics still have a bright future. The beef tartare and tuna tataki are classics executed to perfection. For dessert, crème brûlée and rum baba bring the meal to a satisfying close. We leave thoroughly impressed.
Address: 3 rue de la Tour Jacob, Luxembourg (Clausen)
