Resto: Sanzaru

Sanzaru is the latest up-and-coming establishment in Brussels. An example of Nikkei cuisine, which fuses Peruvian and Japanese food, this place is no less than an emotional roller coaster.

A restaurant is not a socially neutral space. This is worth bearing in mind, as Sanzaru is one of those places with a targeted clientele. Not that it’s a problem; it’s just good to know where you are going. As it happens, to a very chic villa with 1930s architecture and a valet waiting out the front.

There are a lot of things about Sanzaru that we love. To start with, the decor, at once classic and contemporary, is full of beautiful touches. To pick two at random, we like the copper features that create a unified aesthetic theme and the very pretty glass doors, which are evocative of a ryokan, a typical Japanese inn.

Furthermore, the staff were excellent. It has been a long time since we have seen such a welcoming and competent team. Finally, a mention for the wine list, which was, in our view, exemplary, including Métisse by Maxime Magnon (€48), the perfect rosé for the dishes on offer, and a very reputable Château Cambon Beaujolais (€32).

Lukewarm
The food was a bit more complicated. Because there were four of us, we were able to explore the menu in depth. The starters were an almost unanimous success. The razor clam chirashi (€16), in particular, was delicious, combining the mollusc with kumquat confit and passion fruit; so were the chicken and shrimp bolas (€16), a nicely charred and spiced surf and turf with a criolla sauce (tomato, pepper, and onion). Only the sea bream ceviche (€15) was a little disappointing in that the spiciness concealed any nuances there might have been to the flavour.

The main courses, sadly, the cod marinated in miso (€24), the crispy pork (€19), the grilled octopus (€24), and the braised Wagyu beef (€25), were impossible to judge properly because they arrived at the table lukewarm. Their version of Wagyu, resembling a meat stew, also failed to impress, but the real deal-breaker was the octopus, which had gone completely rubbery. We appreciated the honesty of the staff who admitted that, on that particular evening, the kitchen was overwhelmed. Encouraged by this assurance, we will return.

di/ma/Tu > za/sa/Sa: 12.00 > 14.00 & 17.30 > 22.00