EED is the epitome of minimalist. Philippe Heylen strips his dishes to retain only the most essential ingredients, so don’t expect fussy frills or superfluous fillers. The spotlight is on the quality of the produce and the veggie side dishes are as important as the main ingredient. Chef Heylen gets right down to business with lashings of originality. He manages to surprise us with familiar flavours, like a rib steak that is paired with Asian notes of sesame and caramelised honey. Or how about a yellow beetroot, coated in earthy tonburi, a sweet mango jelly and a kimchi of hispi cabbage? A subtle spicy marigold and curry oil and a velvety beurre blanc of Roscoff onion add the final flourish to this virtuoso vegetarian dish. The chef’s distinctive sauces bring each dish to life and he happily pays tribute to his father, Frank, also a cook, as having been responsible for infecting him with the cooking bug. Nowadays, dad helps out by managing the front-of-house operations in this elegant townhouse. The walls are lined in cork plugs, while a tasteful dark colour scheme sets the intimate scene indoors, without forgetting a lovely walled patio to the rear. EED’s youthful enthusiasm is infectious!