Frites Atelier Ghent (Ghent, Belgium): A Tasteem Review
What do you get when you have a Michelen starred chef (Sergio Herman) that wants to remake the "fast food" experience into a truly gourmet event? Well, you get this weird and wonderful "Frites Atelier". This is a place where you can get incredibly high quality chips, burgers and beer with a stunning attention to detail....
The Space
Already from the outside, you have the appearance of a place that seems like a gourmet restaurant, or perhaps a place of high fashion....
... and when you get inside, that idea is enhanced with specially designed decor that is supposed to ooze class and quality. Even the menu is written on a mirror on the wall, there is no paper menu here!
The kitchen is completely open to the public, and it is here where you can see the "ateliers" carefully assembling each burger and frites bowl. Actually, the attention to detail is all part of the experience, and you would be surprised, as it is as much detail as what would go into a good restaurant!
Finally, the seating space is limited. There are outdoor areas, but on this particular day it was too chilly to eat ourdoors. There was a much more roomy section on the second floor, which is where I was eating. You do get the impression that they limit the space (chairs/tables) on purpose to reduce the amount of crowding.
The Menu
... as I mentioned before, the menu was written on a mirror! Anyway, there were a selection of different types of burgers and frites (with a range of gourmet sauces!), as well as a wide selection of Belgian beers.
The Food
In the end, I ended up selecting the most basic burger and some chips with a Goulash sauce. As I had said, the amount of detail that the "ateliers" take in assembling each component of the meal was quite astounding to watch, and not what you would have expected! This chef really had clear ideas in mind when he wanted to "revolutionise" the "fast-food" experience!
I have to say, this was one of the better burgers that I've ever had... it is hard to describe, but it was the combination of some unusual ingredients (just like at a Michelin restaurant) that really made it completely different and a step up from a good old fashioned burger!
Of course, if you are selling yourself as having the best chips on the planet... well, you had better be doing a good job with these! ... and they did, these ARE the best chips that I've had (well, I did have some pretty awesome ones in Ireland in a tiny little pub....), and the sauce was spot on! Again, it was the combination of the small little things that really made it stand out. However, the chips were perfectly cooked crispy on the outside and with a great taste on the inside... I know it seems weird to rave about chips, but... it really was that good!
The Experience
Well, this has had to have been one of the weirder restaurant experiences that I've had. The food is great, the non-food experience is pretty good... however, it is incredibly expensive for what you are getting. If you consider that it essentially a burger and fries, it is pretty hefty at roughly 20 euros... but wow, it is a pretty awesome burger and fries!
It's worth dropping in for the experience and to try out some pretty great food, but it wouldn't be the place to go when you are drunk or hungover and wanting to get some salty goodness inside of you!
Opening Times
Maandag 11:00-23:00
Dinsdag 11:00-23:00
Woensdag 11:00-23:00
Donderdag 11:00-23:00
Vrijdag 11:00-00:00
Zaterdag 11:00-00:00
Zondag 11:00-23:00
Contact Details
Adress: Groentenmarkt 20, 9000 Gent, Belgium
Account banner by jimramones
Restaurant Information
Frites Atelier Ghent
Groentenmarkt 20, 9000 Gent, Belgium
This post participated in the Tasteem contest Your weekly choice
It really doesn't look like fast food, especially because of restaurant design.
#tasteem-curation
Thanks, but the quality of the food is also quite unexpected! Thanks for the curation!
Those chips look amazing! I don't eat meat, so I'd have to go for the Very Vegan Aubergine, which sounds interesting, as I love aubergine. Maybe with some chips and bearnaise sauce.
I'm hoping to eventually try them all out... Just need a new job to begin there!
Hello very nice little restaurant it must be fairly new we lived very close to ghent a few years ago and we never heard about this place. It looks pretty nice and simple i definitely would have give it a try!!!i love ghent such a lovely city.the best chips i ever had was in brussels they deep fried them in duck fat....omg soooo good.
oooohhhhh... fried in duck fat! I'm sold! Let me know if you remember where that was!
http://www.cafegeorgette.be/en/cafe-restaurant-chipshop-chez-georgette this restaurant have a little takaway stand a" fritterie"next to the restaurant that is where we got the chips that was over 6years ago....hopefully it is still as good let me know if you go:)
Thanks, I will try to visit it next time I'm there!
Looks goooood
Also tasted great!
Sometimes it's worth just going somewhere for the chips :D makes me sad getting a pub meal and the chips are terrible. Looked great :D thanks for sharing.
Yep, there is nothing worse than soggy chips....
You sure do eat out a lot
That is one good looking burger !!!!
It does look like that, but when I'm at home I don't eat out very much at all! However, when I'm travelling for work, I generally have to find food somewhere for lunch and dinner for every day!
Yes and your food reports are informative. THey are well done and filled with value.
Work tends to put us all in different places.
Go figure. Be carful buddy
Great review and what a beautiful place, a mix of Michelin level food and fast food that is so cool I would go there for sure
It is worth a try, it is quite unexpected as this type of food isn't normally associated with this level of quality!
It sure seems worth a try, I think its an original take and could do very well
Totally jealous ! Saw this in Antwerp but it was to busy great blog love Sergio
It is worth it to try it one time (or more if you like it!!!). It's expensive for frites, but they are really good!
@brittandjosie and @soyrosa let's organize one of our next Steem meetings in Ghent for the beers and fries? 😈
Then it would be closer for @arcange I assume? And @detlev and @dboontje etc. really love all the Belgium beers to taste 😎
Ontopic, I've tried his chips in Antwerp @bengy, and they were delicious indeed and that for just some chips. But the prices are expensive indeed... Didn't try a burger that time, was only aiming to try different tastes of sauces they serve with the fries.
Ohh, I will invite again the whole Euregio to Aken.
Let me just find a friday in February
Everybody is more than welcome to bring beer or food.
:D YESSS
Can't wait! :)
There should be four Fridays in February... cunningly hidden before Saturday!
Well, don’t know if I’ll organize a meet-up in Belgium, but Certainly NEED THESE FRIES!
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They are great! I would eat them every day if it wouldn't bankrupt me...
The burgers are pretty good, but the sauces with the chips are really the stars of the show!
Lucky me I did meet the stars!🤩
I love how you describe "the chips were perfectly cooked crispy on the outside and with a great taste on the inside". Just by looking at that picture I can imagine the taste!
Soggy chips are the worst... and then it is really important to use a good tasting potato as well! Not just some cardboard mush!
Very completed and detail review @bengy. nice work.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!