Miranda

I think I’ve found my new favorite Italian restaurant in Brussels. I know — that’s a bold statement. But I mean it.

I loved everything about Miranda. From the impeccable service – warm, welcoming, yet effortlessly professional – led by the owner, Maria, to the cooking of her brother Alessandro, rooted in the traditions of Basilicata, a region in southern Italy between Campania and Puglia, still far too little known here.

Take the pumpkin flan, for example, which had caught my eye on the starters menu. I wasn’t expecting anything nearly as precise – chestnut gel, pear mustard, and aged Malga alpine cheese – or simply as excellent (€19). From the very first bite, I knew Miranda was going to become one of my favorite spots.

The small savoy cabbage ravioli with sausage, Jerusalem artichoke, and leeks, served in a deeply flavorful house-made broth (€20), were simply extraordinary. And it continued like that all the way through dessert. The house-made pappardelle with pork ragù and saffron (€28) were perfect. The strascinati – slightly larger than orecchiette – came with the traditional red peppers of Basilicata, both stewed and dried, paired with caciocavallo and a bright Amalfi lemon gel (€26). Pure bliss.

For dessert, I had another regional specialty: chiacchiere di Carnevale (€12), crisp fried pastry served with cinnamon-sweetened ricotta and fig jam – a sort of deconstructed cannolo, but much lighter.

To drink, I tried two wines made from the local red grape, Aglianico, often called the “Barolo of the South” – and rightfully so. Bold, oaky, and perfectly balanced (€9 a glass).