Recommendations: excursion to Cadzand/Pure C

When guests ask me for recommendations about excursions, I am always hesitant to give them any. But recently a guest asked me about a day-trip to the seaside. I hesitated to share my favourite resort with a guest. But she was nice, so I did.

Cadzand is easy-going, friendly and best of all, lacks the Atlantic Wall that typefies long stretches of the Belgian coastline. The few hotels that have been built there stand out like ridiculous lighthouses in various colours. Behind the dunes lies a tiny village, Cadzand-Bad. A few tourist shops, a rather good Italian ice-cream parlour and since mid-March, an excellent brasserie, Puur C.

The excellent Dutch chef, Sergio Herman, of Oud-Sluis, recently opened this beautiful brasserie in an otherwise unassuming and dumpy-looking hotel. I suppose that appearances can deceive. Herman prefers to work with home-grown Zeeland produce and is ranked among the best chefs worldwide. His restaurant, Oud-Sluis, a few villages into Holland, is legendary. Bookings are hard to obtain, both in the brasserie and in the restaurant. I wonder if he serves his risotto with zeekraal at Pure C.

Unfortunately I had to tell our guest that she would be unable to eat at Pure C given that it was fully booked until late September. However, she happily booked a table for October and will return to stay with us on that occasion. Proof that our service is still the best. Meanwhile, our guest enjoyed a leisurely day sunbathing in the dunes, looking for sea beans in the sand, and she also took a stroll by the restaurant which, she told me, looks fabulous.

All that remains is to count down the days until I will be able to dine there myself.

http://www.pure-c.nl