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Great Food & Better Beer in
Brussels
 There’s
an interesting statistic floating around the Internet which states: there are
1,800 restaurants in Brussels, Belgium. Whether this is particularly true noone
seems to know, but it does tell you something very important about the Brussels
and the Belgians: there’s plenty to eat there - and they really love to eat!
Dining — A National Pastime
One of the great injustices of life is that Belgian cuisine isn’t generally as
world renowned as the neighbouring French fare (with two exceptions, which we’ll
come to later). This lack of attention is a pity, as Belgium's cuisine it is
often described as being of ‘French flair, in Dutch portions.’ One of the most
intriguing things about Belgian cuisine - or rather, the Belgian approach to
cuisine - is that there is relatively little snob value involved, a refreshing
attitude best exemplified by the way frites (otherwise known as French
fries) are treated. Considered snack food anywhere else, in Belgium frites
are proudly served even in Michelin restaurants. If great tasting, wholesome and
unpretentious dishes are your desire, then Brussels has plenty to offer!
Hunting for a restaurant is easy work.
Some of the most fashionable districts for restaurants are Place Sainte-Catherine, the
old aristocratic quarter (with restaurants to match its breeding) and the
Sablon, where midrange restaurants are clustered with high-class antique
shops, cafes and chocolate delis. Around St Catherine Square and the
Fishmarket, there are lots of seafood-themed restaurants and though the
Grand-Place has more than its share of expensive, unremarkable tourist
restaurants, many fine establishments are also hidden among the less memorable.
Restaurants in Brussels
As a rule, good Belgian restaurants go for a low-key, comfy atmosphere — think
wood paneling and red checked tablecloths. One of the most long-lasting (and
therefore one of the best) establishments in this mold is the Aux Armes de
Bruxelles on the Rue des Bouchers, which has proudly served traditional
Belgian cuisine since 1921. With its impeccably dressed waiters and dark paneled
rooms, it is unabashedly old-fashioned, including its insistence on
mouthwatering dishes served in heaped portions. Popular with locals, celebrities
and the occasional royal, it fills up quickly most days except on Monday, when
it is closed, so don’t forget to call ahead (+32 2 511 55 50) for reservations.
More contemporary and sophisticated is the Le Belga Queen on Rue de
Fosse-aux-Loups, a former bank where the quality of the food is generally as
high as its ceilings. There’s a cigar bar downstairs and some rather funky
restrooms with glass doors (which unfortunately, don’t always work, so check to
make sure it really does frost up when you close the door, lest you flash the
rest of the room). Also popular with the young, hip crowd, booking is essential
and can be made at +32 2 217 2187.
Of course, with over 1,800 restaurants in Brussels (so they say) there’s plenty
of choice for the most discerning diner, and there is everything from Italian to
Japanese available as well. If you’re not sure where to dine, take a quick look
through the Michelin restaurant guide available in your hotel, or just ask
around — chances are, you’ll get directed to a good eating spot!
Chocolate Delights
 The
previously mentioned exceptions to Belgian cuisine’s general obscurity are, of
course, chocolates and beer. Belgium has always been at the forefront of the
chocolate world, and is famed in particular for its delicately balanced dark
chocolate (in contrast to Americans who put in more sugar, the French more
cocoa, and the Swiss more milk). In 1812, Brussels was the place where the first
experiments with pralines were concocted, precursor to a thousand copy-cat
forays in other countries; today, Brussels is still the home of some of the best
chocolatiers in the world.
To sample Belgian chocolate, you only need to pick one of over 2000 specialty
chocolate shops scattered about the country. On the high end of the scale,
perhaps the best known chocolate shop is Neuhaus, the oldest chocolate
shop in the country at 140 years old and inventor of that very first praline,
where the astronomical prices (about USD3.25 for 100 grams) are reflected in the
amazing cream filled Manons, or nougat filled Caprices. Then there’s
Marcolini on Place du Grand Sablon, opened by the renowned chocolatier
Pierre Marcolini, with its chocolate fountain in the window and a dozen odd
varieties of chocolate ecstasy. On
the very other end, you can flag down any of the roaming vans which wander
around the cities, dispensing affordable chocolate topped waffle to the masses
for a piffling EUR 1.50.
If you’d like linger over your selection, perhaps accompanied with a fine tea,
then there are plenty of tearooms in which to indulge yourself. One of the best
known shops is Wittamer, at the Place du Grand Sablon (opposite the
Marcolini shop), established in 1910 and still run by the same family whose name
is emblazoned on the shocking pink storefront. This shop offers fantastic light
pastries, cakes, mousses and chocolates. If you like, you can also take home a
cake (or three), neatly wrapped in their trademark shocking pink wrappings.
There is also the Dandroy Biscuiterie on Rue au Beurre (how appropriate
for a chocolate shop be to on Butter Road!). Family owned and run for six
generations, many of its fine baked goods are still made using the original
recipes. There are dozens of delectable treats, but the pain d’almond —
spiced biscuits topped with chipped almonds — are an especially memorable taste.
Another good place for chocolate lovers is the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate
at 13 Grand Place, where anything and everything you ever wanted to know
about the cocoa bean is on display, from its first recorded use by the Aztecs of
Mexico all the way up to that fateful moment in 1812 when the first praline was
made.
Belgian Beer — Tasting the Golden Brew
 When
it comes to the golden brew, there are even more places to drink it than there
are to eat. Belgium is after all a country where the beer menu can run for
pages, with specialty beers (usually made from cherry, peach and other fruits)
making up a page or two in themselves. Though there are over 400 varieties of
beer on record, most shops will only carry about 200 — 300. Many of the beers
come served in their own particularly shaped glasses (which are incidentally a
very popular souvenir), supposedly to maximize the taste of the brew. If you’re
interested, one of the best guides to this bewildering world is The great
beers of Belgium: A complete guide and celebration of a unique culture by
Michael Jackson (no, not that one).
There are literally thousands of taverns and cafes where you can sample to local
brew, it would be almost impossible to choose which one is ‘the place’ to go to
for a drink. Your best bet for finding a good place to go would be to ask around
while you’re there, or check the many beer related sites on the internet (www.beeradvocate.com
is a good place to start) before you go. Having said that, these are just a few
of the better known establishments: La Porte Noire is a classic choice,
situated as it is in an 18th century cellar. La Mort Subite (The Sudden
Death!) is often considered the best place to go for fruit beer. For the more
scenic drinking holes, you can try the cafes, which often have a fair bit of
history behind them — the Café of Hotel Metropole for example, is
preserved in the Belle Epoque style and is well worth a visit for its severely
retro atmosphere, while the La Challoupe d'Or at the Grand'Place is
tucked into one of the guild houses. Chausée de Wavre, though a little
out of the way, offers a large selection of difficult to find beers, with a café
in the back for sampling before you buy.
If you’d rather not have to a hunt for brew, you can also take the easy — and
educational — way out and head straight for the many breweries, which often
offer a tours and shopping opportunities combined. One of the most popular
places to visit is the Chantillon brewery, which offers a tour of
the facilities as well as dirt cheap beer at the end. Don’t skip the tour
though, as the process of making the liquor is actually pretty interesting — and
makes an excellent topic of discussion when you’re downing your next glass!
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