Reverie

After gaining extensive experience at top-tier restaurants, two old schoolmates have settled in Veldhoven. Luca Carli and Stuart Kepser run their intimate, living-room-style restaurant, serving French cuisine with strong Asian influences—a choice that makes perfect sense given that both chefs' roots lie there. The menu is straightforward, offering a choice between a five- or six-course tasting menu. After a slightly lengthy wait, delightful amuse-bouches arrive at the table, such as beignets with miso-fried pointed cabbage, accompanied by a peanut crumble and spicy perkedel. An intriguing calling card from the kitchen. For the starter, we savor carpaccio of mackerel and razor clams, lightly barbecued and smoked, served with a watermelon and dill vinaigrette, dill mayonnaise, and watermelon granita. This is followed by steak tartare featuring finely chopped oyster and its own beurre blanc sauce. A beautiful and well-balanced combination of flavors. The enthusiastic host, Youri Greeven, pairs it with a surprising 2022 Juhfark from Hungarian winery Tornai. Next comes steamed mussels infused with kaffir lime leaves, served over Indian sticky rice with lamb ear and mussel jus. It’s so good you’d almost lick your fingers clean. The main course features a rack of lamb accompanied by a glazed and barbecued skewer of lamb belly and tenderloin, served with green asparagus, wild spinach, a green herb hollandaise, and finished with lamb jus. Reverie has once again earned its place in this guide. A restaurant definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Two young chefs, Luca Carli and Stuart Kepser, opened this intimate establishment at the edge of the old village center in early 2023. These days, Stuart also manages guest service and wine while Luca focuses on the kitchen. The atmosphere is warm and convivial in an interior dominated by dark tones. Alongside a surprise menu of five or six courses, the restaurant offers an Indonesian menu on weekdays, a nod to the chefs' roots. Their background in fine dining is evident in the refined amuse-bouches served with the aperitif: a delicious mini bread roll with pork belly, snap pea tempura, crispy leek with fennel and sake foam, and a dumpling glazed with caramel and ginger. The flavorful first course, featuring grilled squid with a fermented artichoke salsa among other ingredients, is followed by an irresistible grilled langoustine accompanied by puffed garlic, green asparagus, and a shellfish sauce infused with Indian spices. We dip the fougasse, the French version of focaccia, into the sauce until the last drop is gone. Stuart pairs it with a glass of Vernaccia di San Gimignano from producer Palagetto, completing the experience. After the main course of roasted duck breast with braised Jerusalem artichoke, hollandaise sauce, and duck jus, accompanied by a glass of Primitivo from Puglia, we finish with fried banana served with vanilla ice cream and rosemary foam. Thus, we enjoy an evening of high-quality dishes that reflect a distinct personal style. Welcome to this guide.