Bonavia — Restaurant in Ghent

Very unpleasant experience. I would not recommend this place to any Asian or anyone who cares about other people. Ironically, someone on a Chinese social media recommended this place in Ghent, and that was the primary reason why I decided to check this place out.

We came right at opening because I work remotely during US hours and had to go back to work soon. We were the first and only customers. I’ve also been traveling for 3 weeks in different parts of Europe by now. I brought only functional and warm athleisure clothes. Ghent has been very cold. I was wearing a waterproof Patagonia jacket and a beanie. This restaurant’s Facebook page does not mention a dress code. The description reads “comfort, family style restaurant.”

Upon walking in, I complimented how good it smelled. The chef said they haven’t started cooking anything yet. Well, I guess the compliment wasn’t well-received. It’s okay. I was still super excited to try authentic Belgium food.

We (party of 3 Asian ladies) were seated at a very small table. The chef came over, and I asked what he would recommend for food. He said he’d recommend that I take off my hat and jacket. I said that I would like to keep it on cuz I still felt a bit cold. I guess that pissed him off or gave him a “wrong impression.” I felt weird that he even asked, but I thought he just had a blunt personality. I was okay with it, but I kept my jacket and hat on because that was what brought me comfort in a “comfort restaurant.” He didn’t say there was a dress code.

Then it came to the food ordering part. I ordered a soup, a ravioli, and a pasta for my mom and me. He said that it was too much food for 2, so then I only kept the soup and ravioli and said I would share with my mom. He took the order and came back with the food. The portions weren’t that big, but okay. I asked for a small plate so we could share the ravioli. He asked why I couldn’t have just asked him to put the food on two plates. Last I checked, deciding on how to plate the food was the chef’s job, not mine. I understand that he might not want us to put hot ravioli on a separate cold plate or mix the soup with the food. But I wanted to order two main dishes, and he suggested that we share!!!

He turned visually angry then threw his towel and made a loud bang when he got back to the kitchen. Then he started making very loud chopping noises. We all felt very uncomfortable. By now this experience completely ruined my appetite. Honestly, the food was mediocre.

Then he never came back to check on us again. We waited a long time for him to come over so we could we wrap up dinner. He saw that I didn’t finish my food and asked me if I didn’t like it. I confronted him and said “frankly I think you were very rude to me.” That took some nerve because we didn’t know anyone in this foreign country. He said you think I’m rude? How did you think I felt when you walked in here and didn’t take off your jacket. I said that he should’ve respected me because I honestly felt cold. He then went on and implied that this is how people do things in Belgium and that I was not respecting Belgian culture. He said if I didn’t think that way, we should just “agree to disagree.” He said that he wouldn’t have mixed Asian foods together, and you should not do that to Belgian food. Never once did he apologize for being rude to me.

I never even intended to “mix the food together.” I wanted to order two main dishes!! Also food is food, they all mix in the belly. I go to Michelin star restaurants and never get taught how to eat there. Perhaps all I did wrong was wearing casual clothes and happened to fit his perceptions/stereotypes.

I was wrong...

My boyfriend and I had dinner here and absolutely loved everything about this restaurant. It was possibly my perfect dining experience! The food was delicious, and had great representation of the local dishes. The atmosphere is inviting and relaxing, and you can tell that Vincent (the chef & owner) put a lot of thought into the menu and the dishes!

We had the beef stew and the soup with bread, and everything was simply superb. The stew and soup both had wonderfully deep flavors that reflected the care put into cooking these dishes. My personal standout was the pastel de nata for dessert. The pastry was baked to order, and paired with espresso and shot of liqueur -- really a perfect dessert to end a perfect meal that warmed up my soul. I know I’ll be thinking about this dinner for a while, and I’ll be back the next time I am nearby!

(also, be sure to make a reservation! it has limited seating since everything is...

This hidden gem provides both traditional Belgium dishes and some fusion choices, and could potentially be a restaurant that is worth the time to come all the way to Ghent just for the food. I found the other comments about “family style” a bit misleading, because the small menu speaks professionalism, curation, and sophistication. The food quality is exceptional and hearty, yet definitely beyond what a “grandmother” can provide. If you are a foodie and wants an unpretentious chef’s table experience with fresh seasonal ingredients, this is it! Cons: The chef does an excellent job explaining each dish, but I can see some shy customers may be turned off by a simple menu on a chalkboard without the ingredients spelled out. A bit more detailed menu with different translations and categorized dishes may guide people to place an order and be a good supplement to the already extraordinary...