Ramen is the next big thing, so why not pair it with cocktails. That’s exactly what Jesse and Robin, both previously bartenders at Jigger’s, had in mind. So they created the Golden Gai ramenbar and the result is a tiny touch of Tokyo in Ghent. As a kid I grew up with Aiki Noodles. Not…
Category: Cocktailbar
Lounges, cafés en cocktailbars in België.
The Cobbler, 1898 The Post Hotel, Ghent.
I know, it has been a long while since we reviewed another Belgian cocktailbar, but here we are again. This time it’s The Cobbler in beautiful Ghent, located in the spectacular 1898 The Post Hotel at the wonderful Graslei, close to St. Michael’s Bridge. If you have never visited Ghent before, then please do! Put…
Gold Gin 999.9 Competition
In every aspect Gold Gin would be the perfect gin for a Bond villain. I mean take a look at that bottle, it utterly demands to be looked at, you can’t miss it, but at the same time you can’t read what’s on it. It’s complex and mysterious. Just like its origin story, listen to…
Beer, Bourbon And Barbecue, a mix grilled in heaven.
Tom Bulleit introduced his 10 years old to Belgium and we don’t mean his grandson, we’re talking about his ‘Bulleit Bourbon 10 Years Old’. The place to be was Jord Althuizen’s grill tower, ‘Black Smoke’. Actually it was the grill tower’s rooftop, bathing in sunlight, were we spent a very pleasant afternoon, soaked in beer,…
Campari soon opens new piazza of pleasure in Antwerp: Gaspare La Piazza Dell’Aperitivo
We were invited into an old courtyard right in the centre of medieval Antwerp where Campari will open a new bar on May 5th called: Gaspare La Piazza Dell’Aperitivo. The moment we set foot in it, we fell in love with it. Tucked away from the commercial chaos of the city and her typical traffic…
The Torino Temple of aperitivo returns to Belgium with a spectacular lineup of Negronis
Last year in Ghent, Martini’s Caffè Torino was a happy discovery for many visitors. The Italian style aperitivo bar focussed uniquely on Martini’s recent re-interpretation of vermouth accompanied by succulent side dishes. In short, a place where you inevitably lost track of all time, aperitivo all night long! This year, 30th of March until the…
Bijou Bar (Antwerp), timeless perfection
Bijou, a diamond in the rough? No, it’s definitely well cut and polished! A hidden jewel then? No, not really hidden, just rather modest. This bar created by cocktailian veteran, Ben Belmans and the bearded ginger sultan of drinks, Dieter Van Roy is a sparkling stone amongst pebbles! Even so that – not entirely unexpected…
Maison Ferrand & The Launch Of The Belgian Cocktail Book
Every year Maison Ferrand launches a cocktail book in a different city, this book represents the (cocktail) culture and bartender scene of the country the city is located in. It started 5 years ago in Paris, followed by Berlin, London, Singapore, NYC and now Antwerp, Belgium. The good people of Maison Ferrand immediately spotted how…
Trends and tipular fixings for 2016
To augur the cocktail and spirit trends for 2016 is more like horoscopes, tarot and disembowelling lamb to check their livers for strange spots. It’s not hard science. So instead we take a look at what we saw in 2015 and what we would like to see in 2016, mixed together with what we could…
What really makes a Negroni, a Negroni?
Sometimes you really start wondering, seeing these countless and delicious variations and dedications. Quite a few people go very extreme in this, resulting in the unavoidable remark by someone: “is this still a Negroni?”. The question is, if not, what is then? The answer must be sought in its clouded and disputed origin… photographs by…
