Amon Nanesse, Lîdge / Liège

Amon Nanesse, Lîdge / Liège
Rognons de veau à la Liégeoise


Though it was in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium –– ‘Flanders’ in common parlance –– that I spent a significant part of my early life, I have in the course of many subsequent visits to that country come also to fall in love with the other, officially French-speaking half, that is, Wallonia.

Liège, the one fairly large city in the east of Belgium is a place I especially enjoy visiting. It is the largest city of Wallonia, and though it is not the political capital –– that honour goes to Namur (itself a charming little city) –– it is in a sense the cultural centre of the region. Liège has seen better days with regard to her economy but remains a vibrant city and one in which one can eat very well. Indeed, Liégeoise cuisine is quite interesting and the city’s tables have clearly benefited from a favourable geographical position. Liège straddles the river Meuse (Dutch Maas) and so has always been –– politics permitting –– in contact with towns to the south in France as well as in Belgium and to the north in the Netherlands. A major land route running from the Flemish coast to Aachen and on to Cologne and the heart of the German Rhineland also crosses the area. In the more immediate vicinity, Liège lies just to the south of the fertile farm country of the Hesbaye (Dutch Haspengouw) with its riches in fruit and vegetables and dairy products, and the city lies just to the north and west of the Ardennes, with rather different but no less delicious products of game and fresh water fish. Liège also gladly indulges in the rich artisanal offerings of Wallonia’s several abbeys, which produce some of the best beers and cheeses in the world.

During my recent trip back to Belgium, I returned to Liège for a day-trip and, as always, had a great time. Among the highlights of the day was a meal I had of veal kidneys in the style of Liège at a small restaurant, Amon Nanesse, located in the city centre. Though this establishment and its adjacent ‘gin’ bar would probably be tourist traps elsewhere, the fact is, Liège is not a city that draws many tourists and, even if it did, Amon Nanesse and the other similarly traditionally-minded places I know in town probably wouldn’t be too inclined to stray from what they consider the right and proper way to celebrate Liégeoise culture and cuisine.

The meal of veal kidneys in a rich, gin-laced brown sauce with steamed carrots and hand-cut frites was quite delicious. As were a couple of shots of that strongly flavoured gin or ‘genièvre’ (Dutch jenever), pèkèt in the local Liégeois dialect of the Walloon language.


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Amon Nanesse is in a handsome old building in the city centre.
Le restaurant ‘Amon Nanesse’ est situé dans une maison d’architecture mosane du centre.
Ine vèye mahone d’ine bèle cogne å çante del vèye.


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A very cosy interior but also refreshingly cool on this sunny, hot day.
Un refuge très confortable du soleil et de la chaleur étonnante de cette journée de septembre.
Å d’foû, avou on clér cîr e on hôt solo, i tchåfe, mins d’vins l’êr est frisse e li pèkèt bin glacé.


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Here are the veal kidneys with the delicously rich sauce, laced with jenever (some excellent fries can be seen to the left).
Voilà, les rognons de veau à la Liégeoise, ça veut dire, avec une sauce au genièvre (et des pommes frites à gauche).
Vaici, lès r’nos d’ vê å pèkèt (avou dès fritches al hintche).


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My dining companion, Minète.
Une belle Liégeoise et ma compagne de bouffe chez Nanesse.
Mi binamêye Minète, li p’tite friquète; ele magne todi dès r’nos voltî ossi.


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The pork products in Liège and Wallonia in general are excellent; one of many shop windows I couldn’t resist photographing.
La charcuterie à Liège et partout en Wallonie est d’une qualité excellente.
Ça ç’est spek pour mon bek.


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A view of a quiet street in the working class district across the Meuse from the city centre.
Une rue tranquille d’Outre-meuse, un quartier populaire de la ville (Rue Saint Éloi).
Ine rowe påhûle djus-d’la (Rowe Sint-z-Èlôy).


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Vive la Wallonie! Vive le Wallon!
Antonius

Amon Nanesse
Rue de stalon, 4
4000 Liège
tel: (0)4/250.67.83
Ouvert 7j/7 de 12h à 14h et de 18h à 22h30.

Adossé à la
Maison du Peket
Rue de l’épée, 4
4000 Liège
tel: (0)4/250.67.83
Ouvert 7j/7 de 10h à l’aube.