Duo makes catering dream come true with bar Tango: “Sint-Paulusplaats is ideal for our adventure”

Twenty-somethings Sebastien De Boeck and Aram Mondt open Tango on Sunday, a new bar on Sint-Paulusplaats in Antwerp. You can go there for cocktails and bar food, but also for a glass of wine or a fresh pint. “By the way, we bottle our cocktails ourselves,” it sounds.

Sebastien – from Kontich – and Aram – with roots in Hove – were in the same class at Regina Pacis in Hove during high school. The two became friends and then went to study together at the University of Applied Sciences.

“During our studies, we also earned extra money together in the catering industry, in the hall of a brasserie. After our studies, I ended up in the chemical sector and Sebastien had a job in sales of a catering software program. But we continued to work in the catering industry. And it was our dream to do something with that sooner or later,” says Aram (28).

“I ended up at Blueness and later Le Pristine Café. I learned a lot and my enthusiasm has only increased. I did an internship in a cocktail bar in London and in the meantime we continued to work on our dream: starting our own business together,” says Sebastien (27).

Corner building

They collided with a corner building on Sint-Paulusplaats where there had previously been a launderette, next to the Victor restaurant. “The Sint-Paulusplaats was ideal for our adventure. It is a nice working-class neighborhood where many new things have been added,” the two say.

“Tango will be a bar where we serve cocktails, beer and wine. People can order matching snacks, small dishes and bar food. For example, our chef Kirsten Sprokkelenburg, who has a past at Osaka and Le Pristine, will be making fresh kibbelingen with homemade tartare on Sunday. During the course of next week that will be mackerel crudo are,” they say.