't Hommelhof

DoubleJ

California

4.13/5  rDev -8%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.25 | $$$

I saw 't Hommelhof featured on Tournée Générale for its cuisine à la bière, but the irony was me being stupid not to have room for any food during my visit. Well, the good news is that I could still walk in, and despite feeling underdressed, I could sit down at a table and not get a talking to. A combination of families and older friends together for what looked like a great meal made the makeup at the tables. Interior is very nice, and lit from the sunlight outside.

5 beers pouring from tap - Watou's Witbier, Pils, Hommelbier, Kappittel Prior, and Kappittal Blond. The bottle selection is limited to 17, but does feature goodies like Palm, Rodenbach, St. Bernardus, Belle Vue, La Chouffe. Also, 't Hommelhof serves their beer a little different; they don't offer the array of Belgian beer glassware, but they do have sturdy wineglasses. If the beer looks pretty and tastes wonderful, I'll forgive. Mission accomplished, after tasting a very fresh Poperinge Hommelbier.

One aspect I liked was the head chef coming out to greet with customers. I think this shows the passion of the head chef, making sure his customers are happy with their food. I sure was happy, even though I was only drinking beer.

I gotta try the food shall I make a return to Watou. I felt like I had seen <insert tourist attraction here>, but didn't go inside. Now it was back to the bike and off to the border....

05-22-2013 04:50:43 | More by DoubleJ

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev -1.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 5 | $$$

Going into this place I did not know what to expect. At times I felt a bit under dressed but I guess it was ok. A very nice interior with a small bar. It seemed like they were quite busy but there was a table waiting for our group. The service was really good and very accommodating. As for the food, a beer cheese soup, which was not a cream base nor a broth, it was somewhere in between, but it was great. Then it came, a pig knuckle. OH MY GOD! It had to be two pounds of ham, all for me, there were potatoes, but I just had those to get some of the gravy on top of the ham. Great meal, and to have some great beers paired with it was unbelievable. They must have known I was coming, hops and pork, it was a little slice of heaven.

09-29-2011 22:07:25 | More by OWSLEY069

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.45/5  rDev -0.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 3 | food: 5

Quite simply a Belgium legend. Probably known more for its Cuisine-a-la-Bier, as it rates as one of the best places in the World for Beer Cuisine. Master Chef Stefaan Couttenye is probably the biggest exponent of using our favorite fluid for cooking. Indeed, his well known colorful book is a bible on the Subject and on sale here. Located on the main square in Watou, I have only visited the "Hopyard" once after a visit to the very nearby Watou Brewery in 1998. You can come here to sample just the beer range if you want - if you do though, you will have missed a golden opportunity to eat in one of the Best Beer Restaurants in the World. I had the Cod in Hommelbier, and it was absolute perfection and incredibly tasty. The Menu has local fare and specialities, and is quite literally mouthwatering. The Hommelhof is actually half of the building, a recent extension called the Hetlandvanamem is new and the more formal half. To accompany our meal, there were several Watou beers on draft and a small selection of around 25 quality bottled beers counted on my visit - which is average and no great shakes....
....but here they eat beer, as well as drink it !!!!

10-09-2002 21:38:43 | More by TheLongBeachBum

raindog812

Nevada

4.65/5  rDev +3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 5 | $$

Wow! go eat there before you hit Westvleteren or St. Bernardus. It's absolutely one of the finest meals you'll have (anywhere!). Located in the charming town of Watou. They specialize in traditional Belgium country fare, cooking and pairing with beer. A really cozy atmosphere, that gives you the feeling you've been invited to a family dinner. The terrine of Rabbit was spectaculor as was the beer bread soup. The best Tartar in Belgium hands down. And a very respectable beer (& wine) menu. Marco from St. Bernardus recommended the place, which is just another reason why I love him! Thanks

09-08-2010 22:33:10 | More by raindog812

garbercury

Pennsylvania

4.78/5  rDev +6.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$

't Hommelhof, what can you say, this is the place. My wife and I were on our way for a two day getaway to St Bernardus and just happened to stop by on our way through the town of Watou to make dinner reservations. Man, lucky we did. They went on to tell us that the restaurant would be closing after lunch and would not re-open until after we were to leave. WHEW! Guess we are having lunch here honey, good move.

A--Small and quaint. Classic old style place with tables situated around a little bar.

Q--Everything is top notch here. Whether you are talking about the beers or the food.

S--Attentive, excellent. The owner and chef himself Stefan, is considered a legend and groundbreaker in Beer cuisuine. He came to our table and described the dishes and was more than accomodating. He made me a steak made with a reduction of Kappitel Prior, jesus was it could. My wife had a mix of pork dish reduced in a St Bernardus Wit, wow.

F--Top notch, world class. See above.

V--Try getting something like this in the States. If you do find it, expect somebody to completely rip you off. Excellent value.

01-10-2010 21:25:37 | More by garbercury