A Lazy Weekend in Brussels
We spent this past weekend in Brussels, arriving Saturday night (24 May) and leaving Monday afternoon (26 May). Most of the time was spent catching up on sleep (see: log #6 ), but we did manage to squeeze in some excellent food and drink.
Sainte Catherine, Brussels
Here is a quick roundup of what we enjoyed:
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Waffles from Maison Dandoy: A bit pricey and quite touristy-looking. Under normal circumstances, we would have skipped it. But it came highly recommended by our walking tour guide, so we gave it a shot. We tried the classic combo of chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream, and honestly, I get the hype. The waffle was delicious, but the ice cream was out of this world.The service was a bit slow, though. The takeaway orders seemed to move faster. Next time, we would love to try one of the yellow trucks. Apparently, they are more authentic and reasonably priced.
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Frites Atelier: The fries were seriously crispy and addictive. We wanted more even though we were already full. We tried the Indo peanut sauce, which was good, but if I went again, I’d just get the classic fries with their truffle mayo (that truffle sauce is so good).
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La Mer du Nord / Noordzee: An outdoor seafood bar that seemed popular with locals. The shrimp croquettes with tartare sauce hit the spot. Johan loved the razor clams, though I wasn’t a fan (something about the texture didn’t quite do it for me).
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Damn Good Coffee: We stepped in because of the name. And yes, the coffee lived up to it. Damn good indeed.
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Knees to Chin: Great for a grab-and-go snack. We tried the chicken rice paper roll with peanut sauce. It was light, fresh, and tasty.
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Beer: per friendly staff
- Flores Cactus at Delirium Bar: sweet, refreshing, and maybe my new favourite beer (disappointed that I can’t find it here in the UK).
- La Chouffe on tap at Flamingo: the place has a great atmosphere and super friendly staff.
It was a short and sleepy trip. Exactly what I needed!
What We’d Like to Try Next (based on local recs):
- Matonge district: for African cuisine
- Dansaert district: Barberton, Jaja, Chez Lutgarde, Au Laboureur
- Saint-Gilles district: Café La Pompe