Since we just got back from a big holiday, we won’t be going anywhere exotic any time soon. However, it gives me a chance to explore Brussels more.
A good excuse to get out and see the city you live in is when family and friends come to visit. My mum was here for my birthday and we did just that. Since my Mum has been to most of the major tourist attractions, we opted for sightseeing with our stomach. Brussels is well know for its gastronomy and has many fine dining restaurants, but also has some nice local finds.
This week I have two culinary suggestions for people visiting Brussels:
I was looking for a memorable place to celebrate my 30th birthday, so I went through restaurants (open on a Sunday) on resto.be and Tripadvisor. I settled on the #1 rated restaurant in Brussels on Tripadvisor – Le Rabassier.
This is a really special place run by a husband and wife team. Here the greatest attention is paid to every little detail, both in the cooking and in the service. The menu choice is small, but changed often to have seasonal products. Although one product that is almost guaranteed to be on the menu is truffles – one of the chef’s specialties.
We had the tasting menu which has 6 courses of delicious food from the amuse-bouche through the fish main course through to dessert. You can add on an extra meat course for a supplement, but we were glad we didn’t as we were full from everything else. The restaurant is not cheap, but it is worth every penny and then some.
If you are looking for somewhere to celebrate something special or for a magical culinary experience – this is it. They were even flexible enough to create a special main dish for my daughter, but she also enjoyed tasting food from our dishes too! Make sure to book well in advance, because apparently for evening meals they are fully booked up to 3 months in advance!
I have been wanting try the Liber tea room since it opened late last year. It is a nice new addition to my neighbourhood, Saint-Josse. It is considered an ‘up-and-coming’ neighbourhood, but still doesn’t have too much variety apart from kebab shops.
One afternoon my mum, my daughter and I went to Liber for a small afternoon tea. It’s very cosy and quaint inside with ‘vintage’ furniture and wall decorations. There is only place inside for about 15 people, but in warmer months they had tables outside too.
They have a nice list of loose leaf teas and other warm beverages. Between my mum and I, we shared a pot of thé bruxellois, while my daughter read the Tintin comics that were on the table. If you are into board games, they have a large selection to choose from and also regularly have games nights.
It is a great local find and I recommend it if you are passing through the neighbourhood!
