Hillside getaway offers guests superior surroundings, service

Nation's Restaurant News, Feb 23, 1998 by James C. Doherty

MALMEDY, Belgium -- Today's business pace makes one wish for that peaceful hideaway that also serves great food with attentive service. After several weeks of back-to-back meetings and conventions in Los Angeles, Orlando, Fla., Philadelphia, Scottsdale, Ariz., and Koln, Germany, I was more than ready to find such a place.

The recommendation of a friend who was a frequent visitor to Bonn, Germany, led me to an inn located in the Ardennes Forest in Belgium. Five kilometers outside of Malmedy, on a hillside in a deep stand of pines, overlooking a beautiful valley is the Hostellerie Tros Marets.

Within a day's drive of major business centers in western Germany, northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands, Tros Marets is truly a three-day opportunity for relaxing, enjoying nature and delightful food.

The inn's proprietor, Jo Blesgen, is a gracious and attentive host, with a command of five languages, including English. Blesgen bought an old hunting lodge in 1959, and every few years since then he has added amenities and rooms, along with an indoor swimming pool.

There are currently several rooms in the original inn along with four suites and comfortable rooms with fireplaces in a new building on the side of the mountain next to the inn. It also offers such modern conveniences as televisions, telephones and fax machines, but who needs them in this radiant forest setting?

Blesgen's passion is his restaurant.

"I have an outstanding restaurant which provides rooms," he says. Great attention to detail marks his watchful leadership. Rolls are baked twice a day, and seafood and other fresh food and produce are delivered three to four times each week.

It's a pleasure to watch Blesgen greet guests and visit with them, as he does during mealtimes. He is a delightful conversationalist, and his operational philosophy is quite simple: "It's easier to meet the customer's wishes than to say `no' and have an unhappy guest."

The heart and soul of Tros Marets is the restaurant operation. The dining area comprises two rooms that are warmly decorated with large windows overlooking the forest. The restaurant, which also includes a centrally located fireplace, seats 48 people. High-back chairs are comfortable to sit in and at the same time provide each table with privacy. The table settings are classical with fresh flowers arranged daily in the center.

The kitchen is run by chef Alain Gaspar, who has been with Tros Marets for more than 10 years. Gaspar takes great delight in his menu and food preparation and frequently visits the dining room to ensure that all the guests are happy.

Blesgen says the operation has a traditional French kitchen, but he always is looking for new ideas in food presentation and recipes. The menu offers a wide selection with daily specials. The restaurant features a selection of fresh seafood, which was a special delight after having dined on German food in Koln just days before my arrival at Tros Marets.

Blesgen, who joined me for dinner on my first day of arrival, gave a running commentary on all the guests -- where they were from, what their occupations were and other interesting tidbits. Most guests stay at Tros Marets for a minimum of three nights. A current guest had been there for 18 nights and planned to return for two weeks during the Christmas and New Year's holidays. Half of the clientele is from Belgium, while the remainder consists of international visitors -- with a large contingent hailing from major business centers within a day's drive.

The lounge on the second level of the main lodge features a wall of windows overlooking the forest and a nearby valley. A huge, stone fireplace adds warmth, and on a cold winter day, a guest can hide away in this very comfortable room.

A sampling on the first night included a tasting of smoked salmon and marinated grilled scallops with a pepper crust. Two separate seafood entrees were followed with appropriate sauces. The final entree was a delicious local venison with a wild-berry sauce. It was followed by a rich chocolate-layered sponge cake and, yes, that delicious Belgian chocolate sauce.

The wine list is excellent, and Blesgen is quite proud of his wine cellar, which is mostly French. Tros Marets also offers a fine selection of cognacs, single-malt scotches and ports for after-dinner enjoyment in the dining room or in the upstairs lounge.

Blesgen is active in restaurant groups and wine associations in Belgium. He also plays a major role in the promotion of tourism in this region. His passion -- after his restaurant and inn -- is golf. The best golf course in Belgium is located only 30 minutes away by car, and Blesgen plays as frequently as time allows him to be there.

Being the congenial host that he is, Blesgen invited me to join him and a couple from Amsterdam for dinner. It was a delightful evening.

There is plenty to do in Malmedy, including taking walks in the woods, skiing in the winter and bird hunting. The area is a paradise. For those wishing more, there are small villages to visit, including Malmedy, which is a local trading center.