In Uccle, a "hoof" as greedy as sympathetic at the head of which works the same family since four generations

It is often said that "the value does not wait for the number of years ..."
But when this value has the characteristic of passing decades without ever failing, we can salute this performance at its right merit.
This is particularly true for the restaurant De Hoef which, with today the fourth generation of the same family at its head, remains against all odds one of the most recommendable Uccle addresses.
Four generations, certainly, but in fact a much more venerable story since the building, at the time in the middle of the Brabant countryside, is at the beginning a relay of post created in ... 1627!
In this place also officiates a blacksmith who thus deals with the horses related to the activity of the place and, more particularly irons which it is necessary to regularly replace to protect the hoof.
This one saying "hoef" in Flemish, will naturally become, until today still, the sign of the house.

Know-how and hospitality

Called later to become a very popular tavern, in an increasingly urbanized environment and then the restaurant that we still know today, this friendly "hoof" has been lucky, in recent decades, benefit from the know-how and sense of hospitality of a handful of professionals united as much by their competence as by the sense of the family.

Thus, today, we find the fourth generation of this tradition in the person of Maxime Dubocquet who, while scrupulously respecting the DNA of this true institution, brings to the adventure a wind of dynamism and youth.
This obviously does not prevent the establishment to keep a stability as reassuring as exemplary, with, in cooking, a chef like Francisco who has been cooking for twenty years or, in the dining room, a waiter like Eric , in post him for twenty-one years ...

Grill over a wood fire

Equally stable is the pretty rustic decor of an old farmhouse, unchanged for decades, with its beautiful wood paneling and tables trimmed with red and white gingham, like the best corks in Lyon.
But, the undisputed star of the setting is certainly the beautiful fireplace on the open fire of which John, the brother of Maxime, come to realize the room grilled wood fire that have always made the reputation of the brand.
It is that these true pieces of gourmet anthology that are, among many others, the magnificent rib to the bone, the impressive Châteaubriant or the superb rack of lamb, are here prepared in all their splendor, with accompaniments that alone deserve all the attention.
Whether you opt for the generous gardener of vegetables, the beautiful potato field dress or the perfect fresh fries peeled and cut in the house and cooked as it should be with beef fat, everything here helps to make a meal at Hoef a most seductive experience.

Butter cuisine.

All preparations are prepared in butter, without artifice and based on carefully selected products and worked in the house, both meat and everything that is implemented here.
With a particular attention to sauces, starting with the bearnaise, exemplary in its style and made exclusively with butter, eggs and tarragon, without any doubtful additives.
Beyond the beautiful cheese board and charcuteries to share, initially instituted to wait for the grill, we note, in the register of entries, many other enticing proposals.
Thus, we particularly pin the beautiful scampis with garlic and cream and beautiful croquettes.
These are the ones with shrimp, perfect in their kind and richly endowed with critters, or those with cheese, rich of a particularly well balanced mixture.
Unless of course we opt intelligently for the mixed croquettes that allows you to make the most of both flavors ...

Pancakes and apple fritters

All this, of course, without forgetting a series of suggestions of seasons regularly changed to the rhythms of the calendar and the markets in order to stick more closely to the greedy atmosphere of the moment.

But if it is a moment that will absolutely crack the fans of the flavor, it is certainly the dessert, especially with the two stars of this register, namely the delicious old-fashioned apple donuts or, all also gourmet, the beautiful crepe caramelized apples.
In addition, in the offer of Hoef, family home if any, it should be known that the little darlings are not forgotten, with a series of proposals particularly studied to their attention.
Among the other opportunities offered by the house, besides a great lunch at 14 €, we also note the unavoidable "traditional menu of Hoef" in four services that for € 35, offers a soup of the day, the choice between five entries, five dishes and four desserts (including the famous donuts or the caramelized pancake!)

Beautiful bottles

In the glasses, a wine list well studied, with essentially hexagonal connotation but with some nice openings to the new world offers, it is rare enough to emphasize, some very nice bottles below 30 €.
In terms of atmosphere, from the return of the beautiful days, we will enjoy with pleasure the beautiful shady garden courtyard -one of the most pleasant in the Brussels region! - to enjoy the beautiful cuisine of the house in peace.
This knowing that for more intimate meetings, it is perfectly possible to privatize the beautiful room of the back house.
An eminently recommendable address, in which the fans of the house are almost part of the walls and pass on the address for generations to generations, as well as the site operators for the management of it!

From Hoef,
218 Edith Cavell street at 1180 Uccle.
Such. 02 / 374.34.17
Web: www.dehoef-1627.com
Closed on Mondays.