Urban Fish Farm

In Auderghem, just steps from Boulevard du Souverain and the Rouge-Cloître, you’ll find Urban Fish Farm. Tucked away on a quiet, residential street, this former fish shop turned Japanese shokudō is exactly the kind of place you’d never expect to find in the neighborhood, and all the better for it.

Two years ago, François, a fish wholesaler with a serious passion for Japanese cuisine, took over the shop with his wife, Valérie, and his friend Pierre, with a very specific plan in mind: turning the front of the fish market into a shokudō, a traditional Japanese eatery.

Today, guests can choose from a handful of shared tables, counter seating and a few high stools for lunch Wednesday through Sunday, as well as a tasting menu on Fridays and Saturdays.

At lunch, there are about ten fish-focused set menus, ranging from €26 to €35, with dishes like sashimi, chirashi, grilled eel and hamachi, served with miso soup and a few little okazu on the side.

We went for the mixed chirashi (€28), the restaurant’s signature dish, and, unsurprisingly, it was excellent. Salmon, tuna, cucumber, salmon roe and toro, or fatty tuna belly, piled over perfectly cooked rice and served in beautiful ceramic tableware. We also tried the crispy-scale sea bass (€29), served with a little leek vinaigrette. A total delight.

We paired it all with a very good glass of sake and finished with an excellent yuzu cheesecake. In short, I’m completely smitten with this place and already counting down the days until I can go back and try the dinner menu.