A Food Affair

The story

A Food Affair in Gent: Award-Winning Southeast Asian Cuisine

The kitchen and its origins

A Food Affair serves vibrant Southeast Asian cuisine in Gent, drawing on fifteen years of professional practice and extensive regional travel. Chef Laurent Locquet transitioned the space from a casual wok counter to a polished Eastern-inspired kitchen in 2019, maintaining a strict focus on fresh produce and precise heat management. This disciplined approach earned the restaurant a Gault&Millau rating of fourteen points for 2026, recognizing a kitchen that keeps complex spice balances clean and reliable.

Signature plates and balanced flavors

The menu centers on bright, layered compositions that define modern Eastern-inspired cooking. Guests frequently return for the crispy chicken spring rolls served with a sharp mango sweet-and-sour reduction, while the Thai salad of blue-fried entrecote relies on a house-made green herb dressing to tie together papaya, cucumber, and red onion. The panang curry offers a steady warmth that complements the rich texture of grilled Holstein beef neck. Four handmade Thai wontons round out the offerings, proving that small, labor-intensive items still carry the most weight on the plate.

The dining room and evening setting

Service runs exclusively after dinner hours, creating a quiet rhythm that suits the neighborhood location along Hoogstraat. The interior stays compact and uncluttered, directing attention to the food and conversation. Outside, a generous terrace sits beneath mature trees, giving diners a shaded retreat during warmer months. The layout encourages unhurried meals, which aligns perfectly with the generous portion sizes and accessible pricing that have kept the spot consistently booked for over two decades.