Philema Brussels

The world “Philema” speaks on its own. “To welcome someone with your heart and give him a lot of treats as an indication of love and respect”.That is exactly the philosophy that Chef Manos Makrygiannakis and the rest of the team are following with a lot of success three years now. 

 

 

Manos Makrygannakis - owner&chef

Manos Makrygannakis - owner&chef


Manos has transferred into his restaurant and his cooking, with a magical way, all of his childhood memories from the island of Creta, Greece.

Dakos kreta

Dakos kreta

The saltness of the Mediterranean sea, the freshness of the greens and vegetables, the savoury flowers burnt by the Greek sun, all these have been an inspiration for the Chef who creates dishes with genuine flavours with an excellent choice of fresh and good quality ingredients!

Kritharoto

Kritharoto

Philema: Chaussee de Waterloo 437 Ixelles Brussels 

Philema: Chaussee de Waterloo 437 Ixelles Brussels 

 

 

It’s this unique kind of flavour that is able to bring up old memories or even to create new ones!
Manos dishes are full of aromas, textures and colours and for sure it is the best way to treat your loved ones! I strongly recommend it for  lunch or dinner, combined with a very nice wine list in a nice and cosy environment!

Snapshots in the party after of ITQI Award ceremony

An invitation came in my hands and gave me the opportunity to take my snapshot camera one more time and go around the iTQi Superior Taste Award ceremony. There I capture some moments of these happy faces who were celebrating their success with a glass of champagne, were sharing thoughts and projects for the future and were feeling very proud for their products, which won the appreciation of the iTQi jury of Chefs and Sommeliers.

Somewhere with someone in a party!!!

Here is how the story begins… A week ago I went to visit a friend (he is a pastry chef) at the atelier he was working in, which is placed in an impressive building. This building is a 3 floor house with an amazing staircase, leading to nowhere.., and at the back of it you can find the warehouses that are used for multiple purposes as well as the fully equipped atelier.

There I met a bunch of creative people , having fun and working together, and they proposed that I should join them at a party they were organizing at that time. So I was found at a place that, for the time I have been here in Brussels, I never had the chance to visit before and so inspiringly different from what I had experienced during my stay here. This, I have to confess, gave me a good hint, of what was going to happen next…

Entering the house, I met a great team of people who warmly welcomed me in. Everyone of them had a specific “duty” to the organization of the party but also each one was giving his own “touch”  integrating with the rest of the team.

table set up

table set up

So, with a small camera I had in hand and amazed by the scenery and the food,  I started behaving like the photographer of the party, simply wanted for myself to be a part of this creatively welcoming night.

The place was decorated mostly by diy furniture and along with the red warm lighting anyone could feel the cosyness and the easy going of the party. Candle sticks were allover the place, giving light and texture to the walls and playing games with the small mirrors that were hung there. A warm green light was leading to the wardrobe…

Entrance

the hall

The table is already done

When the music started, I went to the garden with the handmade bar where I met Max who was welcoming the guests with a Lillet Spritz. After one (or maybe two of them…) I wanted to see what was happening in the kitchen… I found the way there through the back side of a garage. There I saw people preparing some appertisers like Nettles tempura with capers and orange cream cheese…

max in the bar

Max prepeares the lillet sprizt

At the same time, a girl was about to serve on a huge wooden plateau the catholic bite which was a crispy bread dough with plants butter cream.

The catholic bite!!! appetizer crispy burnt bread dough, wild plants butter cream

The catholic bite!!! appetizer crispy burnt bread dough, wild plants butter cream

Appetizer:daikon ravioli like a pickles, lobster, strawberry, tarragon and vanilla

Elena!!! super high girl!!!

the company!!!

Overall, the kitchen was “on fire” while my friend was also taking good care of the desserts that were going to be served after dinner.

Chef Gregory Knuets set up the main dish of menu

Chef Gregory Knuets with the Pastry chef Nikolas Koulepis check up declension of asparagus for the first dish of menu

kohlrabi over the nife

The catholic bite  : crispy burnt bread dough, wild plants butter cream

dishes set up

Max & Gregory 

kohlrabi

declension-of-asparagus

Leaves : Nettles tempura with capers & orange creem cheese

Leaves : Nettles tempura with capers & orange creem cheese

 Chef Gregory Knuets on the first dish of the menu

First dish a declension of asparagus, wild garlic mayonnaise, Reypenaer AOP shortbread & pink grapefruit

Main, low cooked veal, laurel oil, cauliflower, kohlrabi on the bbq, kale and 24 hours reduced juice

nikolas koulepis

nikolas koulepis

Dessert: Rum Baba, strawberry, rhubarb and basil

The “gastronomique” experience was superb and when, at last, the parade of wonderful dishes was over, I left my camera, forgot for a while my being as a food photographer and mostly, food lover, and went on to finish the night with some wonderful cocktails….!

Thanks everyone for this wonderful night! I hope more like this will come in the future!!!

RESTO CLANDESTINO