Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Indulge

Dine in style at two gourmet restaurants on the Brussels Airlines network

Pastificio San Lorenzo

ROME
196 Via Tiburtina, , www.pastificiocerere.com

The Eternal City never ceases to amaze, and this new restaurant behind Rome’s bustling Termini station is a perfect example. In an enterprising endeavour, what was once a pasta factory has been converted into a dynamic artistic space. Upstairs, the place is buzzing with cutting-edge art galleries and young artists’ studios, while on ground level there’s the restaurant, which pulls in an energised young crowd.

Just through the entrance you’ll find a cosy, retro-styled lounge area, perfect for enjoying wine and bite-sized nibbles – perhaps some finely shaved Parma ham, or a plate of pecorino cheese and plump marinated olives. For more serious dining, sit in the contemporary dining room with an industrial edge as you feast on arancini (Sicilian rice balls filled with fragrant meat ragú); handmade potato gnocchi bathed in a mouth-watering red wine sauce; beef shoulder in sun-ripened tomato sauce or macaroni carbonara dressed with smoked pancetta and cream then regally topped with deep-fried artichoke. All of chef Stefano Preli’s creations are pure bliss, while excellent Italian wines are available by the glass. Save room for the homemade desserts, which include sugar-dusted doughnuts served with thick chocolate sauce, and an aromatic hot pistachio cake. Expect to pay around €65 for dinner for two, including a bottle of Italian wine. Scott Adams

La Tonnelle

NICE
Abbaye de Lérins, Île Saint Honorat, tel. , www.tonnelle-abbayedelerins.com

“Love of work well done, fraternity and excellence. The combination of these three values represents the goal we wish to attain in our diverse activities, be it wine, spirits or the restaurant.” The speaker is Frère Marie Pâques, a Cistercian monk at the Abbey of Notre Dame de Lérins on the island of St Honorat – one of the four Lérins islands that lie in the bay off Cannes. The monastic community that owns the island has recently taken over the running of La Tonnelle restaurant, previously operated by outside caterers. An earthly paradise among Aleppo pines, aloes and giant cacti, it overlooks a channel of turquoise waters and the island of St Marguérite.

This ecclesiastical eatery offers a small selection of starters, pasta, fish and meat dishes, and a menu enfant. Choose a substantial snack of bruschetta provençale (€14), or perhaps a demi-coquelet grillé, sauce barbecue et sésame (€18) accompanied by a glass of cool rosé selected by the monks. You can also enjoy red and white wine from their own vines (Saint Pierre blanc 2007 and Saint Honorat rouge 2008 by the glass, €11). And to really get into the spirit of things, finish off with a luscious liqueur produced by Frère Giancarlo, in charge of the distillery and liquoristerie. “We are in pursuit of excellence through eschewing mediocrity, and serving our brothers. This excellence translates into a savoir vivre ensemble where our fellow frère is a blessing rather than a bane,” explains the monk with a mission. You can reach La Tonnelle aboard the St Honorat III, with several daily sailings from Cannes (the crossing takes 20 minutes, €12 return) which is 30 minutes by train from Nice. The island, restaurant and retreats are open daily (closed 8 November -16 December). Carolyn Reynier

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