Candes Saint-Martin, my favourite spot in La Touraine.

Saturday 19 April 2014

A bus ride, a market and a great lunch

V. and S. came bearing birthday gifts: two lovely coasters with early 20th century seaside scenes and a box containing four different hand creams with lovely fragrances.  After a quick tour of my apartment we set out to take the bus into Leuven. We had decided on the one that took the scenic road. It takes 15 extra minutes, but at least it gives you an idea of what the countryside on the outskirts of Europe’s capital looks like. My friends seemed impressed (or were they just being kind?) with the pristine yet much diversified look of the houses and the rural features of the region. 

We arrived in Leuven at half past eleven. First on the agenda was a quick tour of the weekly open air market. We tasted and bought some goat’s cheese from a vendor who was clearly enjoying the fact that two English ladies were interested in his produce. We looked at some meat and fish stalls. Tasted and bought a dry sausage made of donkey meat and similar to the one I had served at last year’s blogger BBQ in the Loire Valley. To be honest, I think it even came from the same producer, because the label read ‘Ane’, which is French for donkey.

The 'donkey' sausage bought at the market in Leuven.

Shortly before the big bell on the university’s library tower chimed twelve o’clock we found ourselves a nice spot in the sun on a sidewalk terrace where other people were indulging in coffee, beer or some other kind of refreshment. We did what the three of us like to do: people watching. Half an hour later I gently steered my friends to the restaurant where I had taken the precaution of booking a table for lunch. The restaurant turned out to be half empty though, and we were given a nice table in the main dining room.

The sausage stall in Amboise market, June 2013.

Can you seen the similarity?

I like to take friends to this restaurant as it very ‘cocoon’, just like its name ‘Kokoon’ implies. The menu card is a nice and varied mixture of Belgian traditional dishes, Italian inspired food and Asian influences. It’s beautifully decorated (click the above link for some photos) and the young staff is very friendly and efficient. It’s really good quality and not overpriced despite its ideal location in an alley – pedestrians only – near the famous ‘Grote Markt’ and the Gothic town hall.

We all had a glass of Champagne to celebrate the occasion. V. and S. both wanted to have a typical Belgian dish and chose: rabbit’s leg with prunes in a creamy beer sauce – marinated and slowly cooked pig’s cheeks with carrots, in a gravy and beer sauce. I ignored my Belgian origin and chose a spinach and ricotta filled ravioli in a creamy curry sauce (Sorry – no photos … we were too busy enjoying our food!). We drank an excellent Chablis and some sparkling water with it. Although we didn’t take a dessert – we were really full after that main coarse which had come in very generous portions – the staff brought us a small plate containing half a dozen of slices of butter cake, in which they had stuck one of these fireworks sticks … again in honour of my birthday.  

It was almost three o’clock when we left the restaurant. Time for some exercise to walk off that lovely lunch. I had scribbled some ‘things-so-see’ on a piece of paper and let my friends choose the ones they liked best. There was one place that sounded really appealing and on which we immediately agreed. Little did we know that it would turn out to be more than just ‘some light exercise’! 

8 comments:

The Broad said...

It all sounds so wonderful to me! Not sure about the 'donkey' sausage though, Martine! Looking forward to reading the next installment. ?.

Carolyn said...

I'm having a good time along with you three.

GaynorB said...

I'm hooked! ;o)

Bob said...

Great writing! You need to write a book!

Niall & Antoinette said...

Happy Belated Birthday -- sounds like you had a great time :-).
Looking forward to the next installment.

Amanda said...

I know they call it donkey sausage but I am not sure it is made with real donkey meat.

ladybird said...

Kathie, The donkey tastes like any other meat sausage, so maybe Nadege is right (see below).

Carolyn, You should have been there. You would have loved it!

Gaynor, Sorry to keep you waiting ...

Bob, Thanks, you are too kind. Maybe I should ... one day, when I'm retired.

N&A, It was a lovely day out and a nice experience, like the yearly blogger BBQ. I still need to send you a mail about that!

Nadege, What makes you say that? I admit that it didn't have an outspoken taste.

Amanda said...

I read somewhere that when they say "donkey meat", it really isn't. It is a joke, maybe a marketing ploy. I'll have to check it out.