DIM Dining* — Restaurant in Antwerp

I was invited to a celebratory lunch at Dim Dining recently. As soon as we set foot in the establishment, we were made to feel very welcome. The staff was efficient and friendly. The decor was modern and warm at the same time. We chose to be seated at the bar, which gave us a nice view of some of the preparations.

As apperitif, my table partner ordered a Japanese beer. I, other hand don't drink alcohol. Sadly, there were only 3 soft drink options available besides a few mocktails. They did have ginger ale though, which I find fitting to pair with Japanese food.

They started us off with 3 amuses-gueules, a tuna tartare filled wafer and a razor clam gunkan. I liked the tartare, but found the wafer stuck to my teeth. The gunkan's nori was too moist and soggy. The third amuse was a crunchy piece of daikon with an umami filling, followed by a savory tea-infused soup.

We opted for an à la carte composition, as the staff didn't inform us on the multiple course menus and I couldn't be bothered to ask. As entrées we chose mussel gunkan and seabass nigiri. The seabass was fresh and the mussels were moderately done. The meat to rice ratio was perfectly balanced; the Koshihikari rice had the perfect texture and sticky consistency. I enjoyed both, but they let the mussel nigiri sit for too long and again the nori was soggy.

Next we had the langoustine. It was served with the head and the tail: the head's tomalley was hand-crushed into the sauce by a staff member at our table. It was also served with a pesto and ong choy, although the delectable sauce was the star of the show that brought this dish to the next level. The meat was succulent and gently cooked to perfection. This was my favorite dish of all.

Then the final dish: the eel. I was really looking forward to this one. Sadly, I found bones in my dish. This ruined the experience for me. The taste of the eel itself was profound and sweet, yet a bit too salty for my taste.

As the last course, we gravitated towards the mikan custard. It was paired with tapioca pearls and rice milk. This dessert reminded me of my hometown's flavors. Sadly, the custard was still lightly frozen in the middle.

With our coffees came 3 different mignardises: pineapple with wagyu crumble, a chocolate bonbon with a rum filling and a madeleine with a seaweed dip. The former 2 were not my cup of tea. The latter was the perfect ending to our culinary experience at Dim Dining.

Overall, our experience wasn't bad, but I also wouldn't call it amazing. The food was ok, the service was superb, the atmosphere cozy, the portions too small and the prices too high. I expected more from this Michelin star restaurant, especially for this price range. For all of the above reasons, I wouldn't visit this restaurant again, although I do recommend it to those who want to experience Japanese...

Alright - so few of things about the place.

I have been to DIM 3 times, two at the old local and one at the new one, opened around a year ago. So I think I am qualified for an overall and valuable opinion\critic.

First of all, we really liked it, food is awesome and staff is friendly, welcoming and warm.

Very good things: Staff, atmosphere, decoration and location. Attention to the client is great. Food quality and taste is also very good.

Not so good things: Price, Menu and experience - see below why I think this.

Price: The price correspond for a one or two michelin star restaurant, i.e. if you want to experience the 9 course menu and drinks besides, it can be circa 300EUR for two, this can be expensive comparatively speaking and has gone up from the last times I went (if I recall well). Specially considering the first two plates are small portions of raw-fish on a sauce (delicious thou) and one is meat on a featured BBQ grill. What I mean is that it is nothing that truly awakens your senses, nothing out from the common cuisine, nothing too original.

Menu: The menu has hardly change over the last two years, the menu is good but it can be quite repetitive is you frequent the place once of twice a year (like I do, three times in 1.5 years) - so it does not become a new experience anymore and hence, it can't be a place where you will not frequent regularly. This is the bad thing about the place. I missed a changing menu, seasonal, more experimental and aggressive. Given the Chef is quite young, this is my only critic: when I sat down, it was like refreshing my last two experiences here where I tried the 6 and 9 courses, so even thou I was glad, it was nothing special for the price.

Overall it is a very good place but not a place I would repeat again should the menu becomes more innovative! However, if it is your first time,...

We went to Dim Dining to celebrate our six-year anniversary and had high expectations — and they were completely met. During the dinner, we actually talked about how we’ve been to quite a few fine dining restaurants over the years, but Dim Dining really stood out.

We were a bit unsure at first about getting the sake pairing, since we didn’t know anything about sake. In the end, we thought: why not, let’s trust the experts. And that turned out to be a great decision. The female sake sommelier was not only super friendly and enthusiastic, but also incredibly passionate. She really took us on a journey through the world of sake and answered all our questions with joy. It didn’t just feel like drinks with dinner — it added an entirely new dimension to the experience.

And then the food: every single dish was perfectly balanced. Everything was flavorful, refined, and creative. Not a single course felt out of place. On top of the 10-course menu, we also got a variety of small bites beforehand and extra desserts afterward — all of it excellent.

It’s definitely not a cheap night out, that’s for sure. But it truly felt like money well spent. Everything here just works: the atmosphere, the service, the flavors. Honestly, we don’t understand why this place doesn’t have a second...