Arden – a terroir-driven restaurant headed up by Chef Kwinten Boelen – has opened its doors within the newly launched Château de Vignée, a 25-key boutique hotel in the Belgian Ardennes.
Designed by Antwerp-based WeWantMore along with the wider project, the Gault&Millau-awarded restaurant serves up a seasonal menu partly-sourced from the hotel’s on-site greenhouse and vegetable garden.
Designed around a playful take on hunting lodge aesthetics, the space features a distinctive art object comprising five vibrant pheasants, designed by Dutch practice Les Deux Garçons, alongside a palette of natural stone and wood. A distinctive set of silverware wall units sit in the private dining room, whilst keen-eyed diners will spot the beaver statue gnawing away at a cabinet.
A la Carte and multi-course options are both available, with the Arden’s Walk menu featuring mussels, poulet fermier des Ardennes and wild boar pâté, whilst the 5-course Treasures From Arden incorporates veal, goatcheese cake and sweetbread. Each can be paired with highlights from an extensive wine list by the restaurant’s sommelier.
Elsewhere, the project’s bar space is characterised by a custom-designed bas-relief backbar depicting a hunting scene, as well as the use of native marble and stone including Rouge Belge and Gris d’Ardenne.
