Au Coin des Bons Enfants

High quality cooking

Au Coin des Bons Enfants, led by chef Timo Reichelt and host and sommelier Lino de Vrede, presents classic French gastronomy with a subtle Mediterranean touch. The menu offers an impressive array of dishes where high-quality ingredients take center stage. Here, they do not merely cook; they create. The evening begins with five flavorful amuses, including a refined pissaladière, a crispy sweetbread crisp, and a surprising king crab salad with pear, pine nuts, and dried caviar. A thoughtful gesture is that the aperitif is poured alongside the final amuse—a detail that underscores the hospitality and immediately evokes a welcoming feeling. The Balfegó tuna with guacamole, blood orange, and Pedro Ximénez cream is fresh, layered, and perfectly balanced. The accompanying side dish with tuna tartare, crispy chicken skin, and soy provides a flavorful surprise. Next, the Rossini Tartare 'Au Coin Style' with beef tenderloin tartare, foie gras mousse, and Périgord truffle elevates a classic to an unprecedented level, especially when paired with the aromatic oxtail broth and house-made brioche bread. The aged beef fillet with braised cheek, parsnip, and aromatic Marsala sauce then impresses with its rich flavors and tender texture, while the scallop with an Irish Mór oyster, Jerusalem artichoke, and vermouth sauce serves as a delicate and well-considered intermezzo. The cheese selection curated by Joost from the Cheese Atelier provides a fitting finale. The portions are generous and the value for money is excellent, largely due to the use of premium ingredients. Although the ambiance leans slightly formal, the restaurant delivers an exceptional culinary experience. Highly recommended!

In this extremely cozy restaurant with a crackling fireplace, it is always a pleasure to linger. Owner-sommelier Lino de Vrede and owner-chef Timo Reichelt are jointly responsible for this. The latter typically takes care of dive...

Host and sommelier Lino de Vrede welcomes us in the monumental building in the center of Maastricht where Au Coin Des Bons Enfants is located. Here, classic and modern go hand in hand. The fireplace is lit and we take our seats among modern art scattered throughout the dining room. We sip on a delicious aperitif, Baron Dauvergne Champagne Grand Cru Tour Eiffel. Generous amuse-bouches are served, including French oysters with green apple and dill, tartelettes with caramelized onion and anchovy mousse, pulled pork tacos with carrot mole, and wild sea bass tartare with wild leek and wild garlic from the Limburg forest, dressed with a lemon and passion fruit vinaigrette. What a wonderful welcome! In addition to à la carte choices and signature dishes, there is also a tasting menu. But you can go in any direction here because 'the customer is king,' which we also experience through the hospitable approach of the service team. The Balfego bluefin tuna is accompanied by a salad of celeriac and celery, hazelnut cream, and a crispy seaweed and lychee element with a lime vinaigrette. Divine. Paired with a glass of Dr. Loozen Riesling. Next comes a signature dish from chef and owner Timo Reichelt: line-caught roasted North Sea turbot on creamy sauerkraut, various preparations of Belgian endive, sweet white grapes, bacon lardons, and a beurre blanc made with an Eiswein from Dr. Loozen. This dish deserves a permanent place on the menu, as it is perfectly balanced in flavor and texture, generously portioned, and beautifully presented. The pièce de résistance is French Charolais veal with ravioli stuffed with pulled veal, served with green asparagus, baby carrots, and morels. Finished with a rich red wine sauce. Following coffee, six delightful sweets are served, with the chocolate bonbon infused with whisky being our favorite. The price-to-quality ratio is exemplary. A spot in the Top 100 is within reach.

Known locally in Maastricht as De Coin, it once began in the nineteenth century as a café. Since 2020, chef Timo Reichelt and sommelier Lino de Vrede have been the owners of this monumental building in the Jekerkwartier district. There is even an intimate terrace largely shaded by a grapevine. The interior is classic, featuring an anthracite hardstone floor, a fireplace, and wooden chairs that aren't exactly designed for long stays. From the start, we notice how classic and modern go hand in hand here. Alongside Waldorf salad and bacon and Emmentaler quiche, you'll also find oysters paired with various sweet raspberry preparations. À la carte, you can enjoy classics featuring lobster, duck liver, and turbot. For the tasting menu, we start with a tartare of striped bass and hamachi, combined with soy jelly and fennel foam. Beautifully presented, served alongside delicious bread. Line-caught turbot on a bed of green mango is perfectly roasted and finished with finely chopped artichoke and crispy chips made from it, surrounded by a smoky beurre blanc. The beef comes from the Eifel region; the fillet is cooked to perfection and accompanied by a wild pepper sauce enriched with butter. The braised neck cut also earns our approval, served with a garnish of sweet potato, blackberries, and chanterelles. Paired with a glass of unfiltered Pinot Noir from Belgium. Sourced from the Pietershof wine estate, located just across the border in the Voeren region. A fine pairing! For dessert, there are multiple rhubarb preparations featuring cashews and caramelized white chocolate. Refreshingly tasty. However, the dessert cannot compete with the cheese board. No fewer than four traditional French varieties are accompanied by four spoon cheeses. From the latter category, we become fans of the Basque sheep cheese. Once again, a beautiful example of how well classic and modern can complement each other. Speaking of which; the nostalgic building is lucky to have the young team radiating such great energy. A warm welcome to Lekker.