Sofia Osteria Contemporanea — Restaurant in Brussels

Very sad to say that it was one of the worst restaurant experiences ever.

We came late, after 10 pm, but the cook enthusiastically said that the kitchen was open and we could dine in.

The waiter was nice, but didn’t know the menu and had to check with the kitchen 3 times while only one of us was ordering (like what the chicken is cooked with in one of their only 3 mains). After one more waiter’s check with the kitchen, we were told that almost everything is finished and we would have very limited choice: if we would want the same order (e.g. grilled fish), it will come without the sides it is supposed to come with, no discount would apply in such case.

We adapted the food order and also asked for 3 cocktails. All 3 came after a while and with no ice. They were around room temperature and were not pleasant to drink at all. We explained the issuer o the waiter, the owner (Alesia) came over to discuss it, she was not happy, but eventually suggested that we do not pay for it. She mentioned only tonic and Prosecco that were in the fridge, no other drinks were offered as alternative.

I tried to buy some ice in the nearby shop, but there was none left, so I asked the restaurant next to the Osteria for some ice. They happily gave me a bag.

Once we managed to save the cocktails with this ice, Alesia came back blaming us for getting the ice somewhere: we can’t use anything from another place and they might have issues if we get sick from this ice. We suggested that they take away these cocktails, but no one did. The ice was fine, it was served to the customers on the restaurant next to us. I am afraid there is a bigger chance to get sick not from the ice but from a chef not wearing the uniform when cooking or from an owner walking in the kitchen area with a baby.

We did drink the cocktails (after all, we didn’t want to waste the products), the mood though was destroyed.

The food was average (too expensive as well for what was served). The waiter forgot about the bread, I had to remind, but already didn’t bother asking for oil or vinegar (it was my initial order). While inside I heard Alesia still complaining about us.

We were charged for the cocktails, even though we were told we would not be.

At the end we mentioned that we would leave a bad review. This caused another discussion, now with the chef who accused us for coming late and said that we shouldn’t have expected much (he was the one to say that the kitchen was open and that we should eat at theirs, when we were searching for a place), again the mention about the ice and even incriminating me for having my eco bottle on the table (there was no water there, I finished it while walking to the place). It was really about trying to have the last word and searching for any reason to find us guilty instead of being customer oriented and saying sorry. Only the waiter did say sorry, no one else was anyhow apologetic.

If only the staff handled the situation better! Nicely explaining what their issue is with the ice would be enough to find a compromise... The lack of professionalism can be partly compensated by finding the right words. That was definitely not the case here. The staff doesn’t know basic customer service rules and handles tricky...

We went to Sofia Osteria Contemporanea for dinner on a rainy Monday night; 3 persons, no reservation. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the hostess and the chef, the two-member team. The place was empty as it was minutes before opening time. They were friendly and welcoming, as if we entered their home. That feeling stayed with us all evening.

We were shown to our seats. We were given bread and olives straightaway whilst perusing the menu and a fine wine list. We ordered the octopus and the fissile, and a bottle of Prima Madre wine; we then asked if the chef would surprise us with a third dish. And he absolutely did!! A fine pasta dish with zucchini flowers and fish (I can’t recall what it was called, sorry). As if that wasn’t enough, we asked for a second surprise dish, despite the fact that the restaurant was by now full. And the chef responded with yet another delicious, spicy pasta dish with pancetta. The taste was amazing (I’ll revert with the plates’ names next time I’m there). We finished our dinner with a scrumptious tiramisu.

All dishes were rich, tasty and delicious, and portion sizes were satisfactory. The Montepulciano and the Primitivo (we had an extra glass of wine) were excellent. It was a truly special dinner for our family; a small feast.

On top of the above, Alesia, our superb hostess, was attentive, calm and smiling throughout the evening, even though the restaurant was very busy. She was all friendly and helpful and, combined with the extraordinary food, created a harmonious atmosphere for the customers.

There are a few italian restaurants in the neighborhood but this one really hit the spot for us. We enjoyed every moment and taste served. I strongly recommend this little Italian gem where you can enjoy amazing dishes and a fine atmosphere. The owners are very welcoming and they will definitely make you feel right at home.

We will certainly go back!!...

EDIT: I’ve now come here 4 times, and been disappointed with the food quality 50% of the time, so I will not be coming back. The guanciale in my pasta was almost no meat but 90% fat, zucca was nonexistent except for one tiny piece at the bottom of the plate… Friendly little family place, but unfortunately they are unable to keep up with the orders if there are a lot of clients. I had to wait 45mn for my dish, then had to gulp it down and run back to work. Food was not great: not enough sauce so the pasta was a bit dry, and the salsiccia was a bit chewy and not very tasty. Their wine...