GOFFIN

Food was really good although there were some hiccups with the service. There was no explanation of the menu at the beginning and the lady who served us went straight into serving. Possibly language barrier.

We had an amazing lunch and the only thing I wished for was that we had more time! Everyone was friendly and attentive, with Chef coming out several times to check on us. Each dish showed the thoughtfulness to the ingredients; they main ingredient was the star, but each dish had a wonderful balance of texture and flavor. We can't wait to return!

Good food especially the pheasant which was ultra tender with richest sauce imaginable which got devoured in 5 seconds by us! Do not have words for the prawn entre - it came with crusty shelled taco shaped cracker with decadent white sauce a brimming with lobster bisque flavour. Would drive 1000 miles just to have one more of this 🤩

Fantastic meal!! Starters were beautiful, very refreshing and made us excited for what was next. Main courses were delicious. The scallop carpaccio was a highlight for me. Each bite was so filling of complex flavor and beautifully plated. The pigeon bbq also was perfectly cooked, and had the best patè I’ve had in my entire life. Their desserts were also absolutely delicious. So full of flavor, so fresh and so light. The coffee that they serve with an assortment of treats was also an absolute delight. Not necessarily to their detriment, but be prepared to spend a long time here! We had a 12PM reservation and were out the door by 3PM.

We came here for my partners 48th birthday, so it was for a romantic special occasion. We had the 5 course menu with wine pairings. My partner had half measures of the wine with each course. Upon arrival, we were not met with the warmest welcome. The hostess seemed grumpy. She was also the only server in the restaurant for the entire evening, so that may have explained some of it! Maybe overworked? I feel for a Michelin star restaurant they should have had another member of staff, to ease the pressure from the hostess. As she was the only member of staff working, it also meant the attentive level of service you expect with a Michelin star place was not there. The food was good and tasty. The first course was stingray, the second was sole and the third scallop, followed by pheasant and I had the cheese course for dessert. The bill for both of us for the 5 course menu with wine pairings was £276. Not bad for a Michelin star place in terms of price. If I am entirely honest though, I came away disappointed. I had high hopes and expectations as a foodie who dines in Michelin star places with regularity. This place just did not meet with expectations. Michelin star meals are supposed to be a journey and an experience for all of the senses and eating at Goffin certainly was not, sadly.

This place is hard to review, but it is certainly unique. It is family-owned and operated, with only a few tables. The overall execution was good, but the desserts need improvement as they did not match the quality of everything else that was served.

tl;dr: a family business with true excellence. A small jewel of Bruges. The first thing that caught my attention when we entered the restaurant was its size. There were only four tables, which probably makes it the smallest restaurant I’ve ever been to. It’s very discreetly decorated, and there was pleasant ambient music which didn’t disturb quiet conversation. It’s run by a husband-wife duo, and it seems to be just the two of them (I did not see the kitchen). The husband, after whom the restaurant is named, is the chef. Madame Goffin is a sommelière (apparently one of Belgium’s finest) and brings the dishes along with explanations. Every dish was masterfully prepared and presented, and I liked all of them. I’d especially highlight the scallops and the hare. Fiancée was particularly pleased by the fact that they had wine pairings with half-cups instead of full cups, as she isn’t the most avid alcohol drinker. The pricing was very fair for what you get, even with the wine pairing. It’s a Michelin star with full merits, and an experience to forever cement Bruges in our memories.

Had a fantastic meal at Goffin - Head chef Timothy thoroughly explained the menu to us and other diners (this is a small venue with 5-6 tables). As noted in previous reviews however, the front of house service was less friendly, which does slightly impact the experience.