Coolinairy

New format! For those days where you just wanna stay in your pyjamas or maybe you’re just hungover? Takeaway Takeaways: bite-sized reviews from places to quickly walk by or order through your favorite delivery app. It’s not all about (fine) dining. On some days, the best meals are consumed on your couch in your underwear. Luckily for you, I sacrificed myself by putting on MY pants to check out places so you don’t have to.

Whether you’re in Brussels, Antwerp or even Louvain-la-Neuve: Knees to Chin has only been expanding. I discovered Knees to Chin for the first time when I used to live in Brussels. So I was very pleased to see the concept land in Antwerp. Knees to Chin was founded by two sisters who were inspired by a trip to Vietnam to offer rice paper rolls in Belgium. It also took me some time to decipher what the name means. Matter of fact, I didn’t decipher it… yeah, I googled it. The name refers to the way people eat in south east Asian countries: on small chairs with one foot on the chair, so the knees get at chin level. You’re free to try it for yourself but I’ve already accepted that southeast Asian grandmas have stronger knees than I do.

The concept is very simple and the menu pretty much tells you all you need to know. You pick some rolls and maybe a side. When I take two rolls and a side (usually a veggie bun) I’m quite full without feeling like I have to lay down for a nap, which makes Knees to Chin a good option on hot summer days. I also like that they have seasonal specials. My favorite is in fall: the rice paper roll with pumpkin! It is actually my favorite of all rolls, the coco egg omelet being a close second. I have no idea what they put in that omelet. All I know is that it makes me forget that eggs sometimes give me the ick. So if you’re vegan or veggie, you’ll have some options too! Don’t underestimate the “side” of rice with some kind of peanut sauce on it. The portion feels like a whole meal and in the two years that I’ve been eating Knees to Chin, I never saw someone finish it.

They offer a pairing of sauces for each roll. Yeah, forget that. Just pick peanut sauce, peanut sauce and peanut sauce. It’s rich and goes well with everything. Soy-sesame sauce is a good second. I’m not a fan of their chili sauce, because it reminds me of those cheap sweet and sour sauces they give you with those frozen egg rolls (I was a broke student at one point in my life).

The rolls themselves are – due to lack of better wording – girthy. I’m also happy that this food has a decent portion of VEGGIES. Some people don’t like the veggie ratio in the rolls but complaining about fiber seems so crazy to me. We should be complaining about the lack of vegetables in many restaurants instead! Knees To Chin actually stays true to their concept: in many southeast Asian cuisines, vegetables and legumes play a bigger role than your protein. You got your carbs, you got your veg and you got your meat and the flavor is just right. What else can one wish for? I also like how when concepts expands that they are not sacrificing on flavor, so shoutout to Knees To Chin for that! Pictured below is the coco egg omelet.

They have some desserts, but I find them just okay. I’d rather walk around the block to get dessert from a dedicated dessert place. They have some homemade drinks that are refreshing. I have a sweet tooth but others might find the drinks too sweet.

For two rolls, a steamed veggie bun and a bottle of water I paid around 18 euros. The steamed veggie bun, however, was just to be decadent. You could have a decent, good tasting and balanced lunch for around 15 euros. That is very rare to find nowadays.

So what’s the takeaway? Go ahead and order it! To have a balanced meal for that price, makes it totally worth it.

Knees To Chin in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Louvain-La-Neuve