Soul

Tucked down a cobbled street a few steps from the Grand Sablon, Soul offers the conscientious diner food to warm body and spirit. Outside, it’s unremarkable; inside, it’s dark and cosy with work by local artists on the walls and plenty of atmosphere even when it’s mostly empty, as was the case on our Sunday evening visit.

The ingredients are generally organic and free of additives, preservatives and white sugar, and – grandmothers and other old-school cooks should look away now – butter and cream are banned. The food’s not strictly vegetarian, but it is super good for you. Luckily, it tastes pretty good, too. A beetroot salad starter was a riot of purple, with feta adding saltiness while nuts and apple gave texture. Pumpkin and ginger soup was flavoured with coconut milk and a hint of coriander – though a heftier whack of that ginger would have been welcome. A spicy lentil burger was more of a freeform lentil stew, falling apart obligingly at the slightest prod of the fork; moist chicken breast stuffed with sundried tomatoes, spinach and basil came perched on courgette and more lentils, with a salad of mozzarella, olives and grilled peppers. For pudding, the chocolate orange mousse, though rich and tasty, was on the expensive side, while a fruit crumble topped with nuts and citrus sorbet was worth every cent.

It’s good honest food, but a little pricey: for two, with three courses and a glass of (organic) wine each, the bill was pushing €90.

20 Rue de la Samaritaine, tel 02.513.52.13, www.soulresto.com