Joelia, except for that wild, beautiful hare, just didn’t land.

Rating: 3/5
Cuisine: Modern French
Price: 3 course lunch €72, 5 course dinner €150

Before anything else, one thing must be said. The main dish on the menu was in‑fucking‑credible. Audacious, really.

Why the chef dares to keep it on the menu remains a mystery. Service even admitted it gets send back to the kitchen quite often. And expectedly so... Hare a la Royale, a fearless ode to the French classic. Possibly even a wink to Nouvelle Cuisine legend Paul Bocuse? Bloody, rich, unapologetically gamey. It doesn’t just walk the line, it charges right through it. Loved it. Still thinking about it. Forever grateful for it.

But still. Let's just get it out there. Joelia is a 3/5. A really good restaurant, but a €150 is a lot, and for some reason it feels like it is just not worth it.

It might be a matter of personal taste perhaps, because.. were any of the dishes poorly executed or technically below par? Definitely not. How was the service? Excellent, nothing to complain. Is there something else to be critical of? No, not really. The restaurant's design maybe feels a bit bling-bling, but again. Personal taste perhaps.

Joelia, except for that wild, beautiful hare, just didn’t land.

And look, €150 isn’t unreasonable when you factor in the hours, sweat, and pressure of a fine-dining kitchen. It’s a bargain. The industry in general is wildly underpaid, but that doesnt take away the fact that spending the same elsewhere, is more memorable.. unfortunately.