Chef Sang Hoon Degeimbre’s second in command opens affordable pop-up Japanese brasserie

Not yet starred — but it won’t be long — Toshiro Fujii, the former second in command of (I’ll give you a thousand guesses) Sang Hoon Degeimbre, is also getting into the “eco-friendly gastronomy” dance, but in a version that’s somewhere in between: for the entire month of September, he’s transforming his gourmet restaurant Enishi, in Waterloo, into an izakaya, a sort of traditional Japanese brasserie. This concept, which may be renewed depending on the success of this first edition, is a great way to compensate for the labor shortage (several of his servers were still busy with the wedding season) and to introduce his amazing cuisine at a more affordable price.

In the video, we invite you to discover the experience:

The chef was the faithful second in command at L’air du temps for over a decade before heading his eponymous restaurant in Saint-Gilles and his current establishment, Enishi in Waterloo. But it is in a completely different style that we discover the chef here, since he is swapping, until the end of September, his gastronomic plates of rare balance and delicacy, for a more convivial menu in an izakaya spirit.

On the menu, sashimi, onigiri, ramen, gyoza and other tempura to share with your table. We start with a generous portion of gyozas and a plate of sashimi including tuna, salmon, shrimp and yellowtail. The price is not cheap (€35) but is justified by the quality of the fish. We then enjoy breaded pork topped with a succulent tonkatsu sauce and a shrimp ramen flavored with lemongrass that took a while to arrive — the service is a little slow, but it must be said that we tested this concept on its first evening. The most daring will wash down this dinner with a sake tasting, but I prefer to toast with an original cocktail with umeshu plum alcohol, whose subtle bitterness could remind you of a gin and tonic, and an iced Sencha green tea, which prolongs the vegetal notes of my dessert that perfectly embodies the chef’s Franco-Japanese inspiration: a crème brûlée with Hojicha smoked green tea. The dishes follow one another and the verdict is clear: the plates are emptied in two chopstick strokes!

The address: Enishi by Toshiro, 64 chaussée de Bruxelles, 1410 Waterloo.

• It’s what ? A gastro restaurant mixing Japanese and French influences.
• For whom? The izakaya will satisfy globetrotters hungry for authentic Japanese flavors. The rest of the year, the chef offers elegant and subtle gourmet cuisine combining Franco-Japanese inspirations and techniques.
• The atmosphere? Contemporary but sober interior, mixing wood and natural stone.
• Service ? Attentive, but could do with being faster and more efficient, at least for the izakaya concept.
• Value for money? Count on €120 for the bill for two for the concept. The rest of the year: 4 or 6 course menu, €75 and €95 excluding drinks.