Hoeve De Bies
St-Martens-Voeren, Belgium
1 Star
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
The peaceful countryside of Fouron stretches out around the 19C farmhouse whose terrace commands a breathtaking view. Exposed rafters do add character, but don’t expect anything more than that in terms of rusticity, because the interior in fact sports designer materials, an open wine cellar and lounge music. Upstairs, two one-room flats offer the chance to relax in style after your meal, but, before that, let’s do justice to the high-flying talent of Maurice Huynen and Peterhans van Harinxma.Their cuisine is both heartwarming and polished, regional and international. Examples include local trout from Commanderie 7 baked whole and flanked by a punchy marinade and a stock made from fish bones, all of which is smoked for 24 hours to produce an explosion of savours for the tastebuds. Chef Maurice shows infinite respect for the ingredient as he carefully crafts powerful sauces, while Peterhans, in charge of the front-of-house and a sommelier, adds a hint of classicism, courtesy of his cellar of white Burgundies, without forgetting the odd regional and international tipple.
From Visitor Experiences
A farmhouse that isn't playing farm
A 19th-century shell, but the room is modern, designer materials, open cellar, and a terrace with a wide view.
A two-person engine
Kitchen and dining room are run as a duo, with sauces and ingredient respect in the kitchen, classicism and wine at the table.
Sleep it off upstairs
Two compact flats above the restaurant make the meal feel like a country break, not a night out.
From Visitor Experiences
Signature Ingredients
- Local trout (Commanderie 7): baked whole as a signature, built with bones-to-stock depth.
- Fish-bone stock: smoked for 24 hours, a core flavour engine rather than background liquid.
- Marinade: used as punch, bringing lift and bite to the fish.
- White Burgundy: a classic axis in the cellar, used as the house's reference point for pairing.
From Visitor Reviews
Overview
- Modern French cooking inside a 19th-century farmhouse in the Voerstreek, with a terrace that looks out over open countryside.
- Interior is more designer than rustic, exposed beams, open wine cellar, lounge music.
- Two one-room flats upstairs for staying over.
Cooking style
- Maurice Huynen and Peterhans van Harinxma cook with regional product and international reach, warm-hearted dishes polished by powerful sauces.
Dish focus (example)
- Whole local trout from Commanderie 7, baked, served with a punchy marinade and a fish-bone stock smoked for 24 hours.