A Walloon Example of Resilience!

28.06.2024

They had everything to gain. They rose to the challenge that a painful life event had thrown at them, and the result is breathtaking.

Florence and Kevin left their secure, permanent jobs and threw themselves heart and soul into creating a restaurant worthy of one or more stars in the Michelin Guide, or recognition from Gault & Millau.

Everything is homemade, from the tables to the biscuits served with your coffee or tea.

The tables and benches were made by the owner himself. The wood is entirely natural and simply varnished. It is wood that lives and takes on golden hues. The same wood was used for the wall décor. The chandelier in the dining room is made from offcuts of this same wood that could not be used for other purposes. An old wooden floor has been given a new lease of life as restaurant furniture.

On the truly comfortable bench seat, upcycled cushions also add to the cosy atmosphere of the place.

The frames on the walls are among those found in attics. The tea box, an old wooden medicine cabinet given a new lease of life, matches the décor perfectly.

And what about the food? Isn't that the most important thing?

Florence says she serves high-quality home-style cooking. I tried three different set menus, and I must admit that, although I love cooking for my family and friends, I've never prepared dishes like these! What we're talking about here is top-class cuisine, conceived, created and prepared by a modest, humble couple who are unaware of just how good the whole experience is: the venue, the service, the dishes, the wines, the teas and the family atmosphere.

Florence, the co-owner, explains why the menu is small, but not too small – just the right size. The produce is fresh; no industrially frozen food, tinned goods or other processed products make their way into the kitchen. The menu is designed around the day's market and the seasons. Everything is local and/or homemade.

A local farmer supplies No Name with meat in half-carcass lots. The cows, pigs and calves roam, play and rest in the green meadows surrounding the town of Malmedy and the wider region. Florence and Kevin wait until the animals have reached maturity before they are supplied to the restaurant. The farmer is someone who loves his work and his animals above all else. Consequently, the animals are fed nothing but lush green grass, with no other feed or foodstuffs.

The chickens, pigs and sheep used by No Name lead the same stress-free lives. Their lives are entirely in keeping with their nature and the traditional farming environment.

The bread, eggs, fruit and vegetables used in No Name's kitchen are also locally sourced.

As for the fish, caught fresh daily in Zeebrugge, it is delivered directly to Florence and Kevin.

Nothing is wasted or thrown away – everything is put to use!

Every part of the animals they buy is used. Florence and Kevin explain to me, with great passion for their craft, how they use every cut of meat and every vegetable they purchase. The couple are particularly creative in the dishes they offer their customers.

Pressed head, stew, blanquette, as well as steak, ribs, chops and more. You discover the flavour of every cut used to prepare dishes that are delicious, full of flavour, wonderfully aromatic, naturally colourful and original.

Take, for example, the homemade burger, whose recipe changes regularly and which, in my opinion, is unrivalled. A local baker makes the burger buns according to No Name's own recipe, adapting them to the different burger recipes on the menu. There's no question of simply using any old bun for every type of burger.

You might say it's impossible to serve dishes without keeping a large stock, which would mean the food could not always be fresh that day. Here too, Florence and Kevin are breaking new ground in their approach to management. It's very simple: when a dish is no longer available, it's no longer available. Customers simply choose another option from the menu. This also demonstrates the freshness of the produce, the commitment to avoiding waste and the soundness of their management.

With this approach, Florence and Kevin have reduced waste by 60 per cent compared with a traditional restaurant, in terms of vegetable peelings and fish bones, and by 90 per cent in terms of plastic waste. As for the bones, there are dog lovers among this very friendly couple's circle of friends.

And what about napkins? On this point, Florence and Kevin avoid falling into the trap. The napkins are made of paper and are therefore either recycled or incinerated to generate energy by the company that collects them. Florence argues that cloth napkins consume a great deal of energy and pollute waterways. They require pre-washing, washing, spin-drying and ironing, all of which consume energy. At present, energy production in general causes pollution, whether through the manufacture of components that are not subsequently recycled and/or through the use of raw materials in energy production. Furthermore, laundry detergents contain pollutants and residues that degrade environmental quality, including environmentally friendly detergents, according to certain studies.

Everything is carefully calculated to minimise the impact on nature and maximise enjoyment for customers.

The crisps are homemade too: potato crisps, sweet potato crisps and Parmesan crisps, for example.

Here are a few examples of starters and main courses, along with some desserts:

Ravioli with locally foraged wild mushrooms, picked with care to ensure they are safe to eat.
Mountain burger, mature Comté cheese burger and Caesar burger.
Tartare.
Skate wings in beurre blanc.
Scampi in orange sauce.
Salmon with honey and sesame sauce.
Mozzarella and tomatoes with a twist: breaded mozzarella squares served with the chef's salad.
Ardennes-style roast with charcutière sauce.
Fagnard and Mexican burgers.
Trout fritters.
Lemon and raspberry meringue.
Strawberry and chocolate crêpes.
Crème brûlée.

“The risk wasn't that we would lose our lives; we gave up financial comfort, but we're happier and enjoy a better quality of life.” (Florence and Kevin)

Without a doubt, this is a cuisine to discover and savour to your heart's content.

Here are No Name's contact details for further information:

Landline: +32 (0) 80 40 09 71
Email: lambertzflo@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091576794447
Address: Place de Rome 16, 4960 Malmedy, Belgium

I wish you all a wonderful discovery and an excellent dining experience.

Victoria B. Lohay
Ambassador
Wallonia.be