La Cucina di Bruno: Rustic Italian Done Right

Tucked away in a scenic side of Brussels on the fringes of the Basilique Nationale du Sacré-Cœur, La Cucina di Bruno offers diners an inviting atmosphere to savour some genuine Italian food with rustic Sardinian recipes.

Bruno Vargoliu, the chef and owner, originates from Sardinia and aims to bring the authenticity of the cuisine not only to the flavour of his dishes, but with the produce he provides.

Importing cheeses from Italy, there are six to try from and can be paired with many small delicacies on a platter. The wine selection is just as scrupulously sourced, with many bottles coming from the very region in which Bruno hails from, adding excellent range to complement the large menu on offer.

Inside is a long and wide hallway, cozy, and divided between a fairly standard look at the front which precedes an area with a beautiful stain glassed ceiling at the rear; with the restaurant seating roughly 30 tables.

Being Sardinian, the food has plenty of pasta and seafood on offer, with classics such as the spaghetti alle vongole.

With a wide range of pasta, you’d assume that they’d have the dishes settled, and you’d be right. The Spaghetti alle vongole, although simple enough, is harder to master than you’d think. This meal managed to escape the grit that so often plagues seafood dishes, allowing you to immerse yourself fully in the texture. Being ever so lightly flavoured in garlic juices was another great way which helped the seafood bring out there flavour in a very nuanced way, and beckoned you to dive deeper to the nutty flavoured broth that pooled at the bottom.

As with some restaurants, it feels like your fighting the food, battling to swallow and digest; this dish felt like a waltz. It dances into the mouth and immediately sits like a feather, and for this combination of reasons. It is no exaggeration to say this spaghetti is excellent.

As cheese assortment was delivered, we were dumbfounded. We ordered a small plat for dessert, yet, a collection of delicious Italian cheeses was served: sweet gorgonzola, pecorino, taleggio, parmeggiano, and infusione of honey with truffles.

It is for these reasons that we can honestly state, that if you are thinking of taking a visit to the more tranquil side of Brussels, and are looking for something enriching to eat, then you’d be hard-pressed to find a more tasty spot to dine than La Cucina di Bruno.