The restaurant, located in the building of the original thermal baths, hasn’t lost its traditional charm, but it has been modernised to provide a sleeker, more open space, including a window into the kitchen so visitors can peek into the work of the cooking team, led by chef Loïc Benatru. 

For meat-lovers, the winter menu will be a crowd-pleaser: an entrée of pork specialities includes marbled shank and black pudding—more than enough to share—while mains include a Castilian angus black beef with 300-day seeds and salad, or the matured beef steak served with fresh vegetables and a hearty portion of gratin Dauphinois, to name a few. 

There is real emphasis on matured meat on the menu. As Benatru explained on a recent visit, aged meat helps concentrate flavours, thereby providing a richer, deeper taste. Cooking times depend on the cut and desired preparation, of course, but special care is taken so the matured meat doesn’t get a “thermal shock”.

But those preferring lighter fare at the start of the new year will have plenty to choose from as well.  The team at Mondorf Domaine Thermal—the restaurants of which also include De Jangeli and Chalet am Brill, which also feature special winter menus—work hard on a philosophy one would expect from a thermal baths centre: fresh, local products and attention to healthy options, with dieticians providing input to ensure options for those on special diets.

On the day I had lunch, I opted for the pan-fried foie gras—not light, but hard to resist since it was the first time I’d had the dish in years. Served with a flavourful apple-pear chutney and toast, the textures were well-balanced, the dish perfectly salted. 

Those preferring a lighter entrée should opt for the green split pea salad with smoked trout and a honey vinaigrette, the colour and flavours of which are bright, reminiscent of approaching springtime. 

Roast pike-perch filet with leak fondu on a bed of black rice with a shellfish sauce Photo: MDT 

For the main dish, I tried the king-sized scampi which were succulently sweet, perfectly cooked “a la plancha” with a hint of garlic. They were the highlight of my meal, which was served alongside seasonal vegetables. The portion is quite hefty, however, and I hardly touched the bed of black rice below it. 

There are plenty of options for dessert—from crème caramel to crème brûlée with Grand Marnier, to playful chef suggestions, but the café gourmand is generous enough for two to sample, with its delicate lemon madeleine, tiramisu, opera cake and a chocolate crumble in a glass.

The restaurants at Mondorf Domaine Thermal regularly run lunchtime menus. Brasserie Maus Kätti, Chalet am Brill and De Jangeli are also running special menus over Valentine’s Day weekend with prices at €49, €52 and €85, respectively.

Dining-spa packages are also bookable through the website.