L'Auberge

good quality, good value cooking

The gastronomic triangle comprising Château Neercanne, the Marls Caves as a banquet venue and restaurant l'Auberge lies a stone's throw from Belgian Kanne. It is impressive to step into this estate belonging to the Oostwegel Collection. Especially when the sun is shining and we settle onto the terrace with its metal bistro sets. The Jeker Valley receives special attention through an illustration of it printed on the side plates. Special attention is also given to the wine list. It indicates the radius within which the winemakers are based. At a maximum of 75 kilometers, this effectively puts Limburg on the map as a wine region. Bravo. The menu also features many local ingredients. This begins with the amuse-bouches, using onions from their own vegetable garden in a broth, followed by a crisp bite with field mushrooms taking center stage. The meal officially starts with mussels, milk foam with garlic, and fine vegetables. The Limburg Livar monastery pork, served with marinated belly bacon and coppa, is paired with a salad and a dressing made from hard Chevrea goat cheese from neighboring Eijsden. Absolutely delicious! To drink, wines crafted from grapes grown on the estate's own plots surrounding Château St. Gerlach in Houthem. For the intermezzo, the salmon is sliced tableside. A generous portion paired with sauerkraut and chive beurre blanc. Aachen sea bream is the main course that doesn't travel far. The German sea bass is pan-seared skin-on and served tableside with leek beurre blanc. My dining companion enjoys beef tenderloin with braised beef cubes from Margraten pasture cattle. Served alongside are velvet-soft potato mousseline, baked endive with Gruyère, and a veal jus that lingers delightfully in the mouth. The same goes for the accompanying wine. A cellar find sourced directly from the castle. A cherry-red 2022 Malbec from Cahors named 'Little F*ck' boasts a beautiful shimmer and pairs perfectly with the dish. Afterwards, ice-cold Limbourg cheese is served on dry bread with Limburg syrup. To sweetly conclude, puff pastry with frangipane, apple, and locally produced vanilla ice cream topped with crispy almonds. Simply delicious!

The renowned restaurant Château Neercanne is located on the historic estate of the Oostwegel Collection. L'Auberge is the estate's lunch restaurant (also open two evenings a week), situated in the vaulted former castle stables. Everything here breathes Maastricht: the guests at nearly every table, the friendly service, and head chef Raymond Remmen in the open kitchen. Inspired by the harvest from the volunteer-maintained vegetable garden, the adjacent Jeker Valley, and local delicacies, there is a multi-course choice menu featuring meat, fish, or vegetarian options. The wines are made from Oostwegel's own grapes from Wijland vineyard near fellow Château St. Gerlach in Valkenburg, crafted by renowned winemaker Stan Beurskens of St. Martinus wine estate in the Heuvelland. We start with a glass of sparkling Mosaïc with a bold aroma and elegant mousse. Served alongside is a horseradish flan with fermented asparagus and a cream puff filled with house-made herb cream cheese. Thick slices of house-baked sourdough bread with cultured butter are placed on the table. The starter, a perfectly poached Jeker Valley egg with béchamel sauce made from nearby field mushrooms and shaved fresh field mushrooms, is followed by buttery-soft pollack with an oyster and lemon balm beurre blanc, served on crispy radish, asparagus, and spring onions. Also served is a small bowl of golden-yellow roasted new potatoes, which are subtle in flavor, along with Judith in the glass, an elegant and very fine white house blend of six of their own grape varieties. There is also Mechelen-style chicken with white asparagus and suprême sauce, paired with a light red wine from the Spanish Bierzo region. To finish, there is a tiger cream puff with espresso mousse and Blanche Dael coffee ice cream. Dining at L'Auberge means Burgundian indulgence of classic elegance. On beautiful days, there is a terrace with French flair on the castle courtyard, overlooking the Jeker Valley on one side and the estate's limestone caves on the other. Overnight stays are available in one of the seven recently opened luxury castle suites on the estate. Welcome to Lekker.