Arrive in Dave, on the other bank of the Meuse, and settle into the pretty square that hides 54. The mood is immediately different, as if softened, inviting a form of peace, and the certainty that we're in for a real treat.

That's what Jonathan Collignon promises.

The young chef is now charting his own course and, under the watchful eye of his parents, is continuing to build on his success in this lovely family home. Having first worked at Le Vivier d'Oies in Dorinne, it was during a spell with Christophe Pauly's team at Le Coq aux Champs that his passion finally won him over. Self-taught, creative and keen to promote local artisans, he offers a frequently renewed seasonal menu. His refined, flavorful cuisine goes straight to the heart of the matter.

Jonathan Collignon extracts the finest fruits from the infinite richness of the local Walloon terroir to give them a very special flavour, made up of respect and mastered inventiveness, offering his gourmet customers a magnificent price-pleasure ratio. As an inquisitive and erudite enthusiast, he never ceases to work on his combinations, with the sole aim of revealing the product that nature has to offer.

The splendid, recently restored dining room is also the perfect setting for precise, affable service.

The fast-growing cellar is managed, energized and elegantly staged by the excellent Logan Lalmand, a passionate young sommelier who previously worked at the air du temps San Degeimbre and Vino Vino, Namur's wine bar.

This wonderful alchemy has established Jonathan Collignon as one of Namur's up-and-coming young talents, and his house as one of those that count in our gastronomic landscape.

LD