On
the thirteenth day of Blogmas... Following on from my post about our trip to
Brussels, I had to include a quick review of the restaurant we dined at, while
there. When I was arranging the trip, I researched loads of places for dinner
and after managing to compile a shortlist of five, we decided on Les
Brigittines.
The
restaurant is about a kilometre away from Grand-Place, in the area of Place de
la Chapelle. There isn’t too much going on in the area at night, but a quick
look on Google shows there are a few sights worth seeing during the day,
including the daily market and church. Our reservation was at 7pm and on
arrival, the restaurant had already filled up.
I
found the restaurant traditional and very homely. The building was formerly a
post office, but the decor was very art-nouveau. The wallpaper was slightly
dated, with patches of velvet, but it added so much character to the place.
There were frescos on the doors and lots of wood panelling. It was dark, but
atmospheric – and the majority of people dining were locals, which obviously
speaks volumes.
When
I booked the table, after extensive reading of the menu, I completely forgot my
appetite wasn’t what it once was – and while I was drawn to the ‘Market Menu’,
a set menu of four courses (priced at 55€), I knew
there would be no way I’d be able to manage it at all. The a la carte evening
menu is fairly small, but I still found it difficult to make my mind up – and I
must have changed my mind three or four times before ordering.
Whilst
we were deciding, we were offered an aperitif and the house drink was a
sparkling wine... we settled on a bottle between the two of us and it was
lovely. It was a fairly sweet rosé and the sommelier did an excellent job of
ensuring our glasses were never empty.
To
eat, I decided on the baked beef with fries and green salad. The portion sizes
were huge and I’m glad I hadn’t ordered a starter, because I struggled with one
course, let alone more than one. The steak was cooked to perfection and the
quality of the beef was excellent. The menu has a focus on local ingredients
and at the front of the card, suppliers are listed. I wish I knew what the
salad dressing was, as it was unreal. It was light, yet slightly creamy. The
fries I could take or leave, even though Belgium is famed for them. Ash had the
roasted Danish cod with spelt risotto and wild mushrooms. I didn’t try any of
it, but it did look good.
Unfortunately,
we didn’t have room for dessert – but the menu did look amazing! The service
was very good throughout and we never felt like we were being hurried. After
getting the bill, we walked back to Grand Place to see the lights & music
show, before jumping into a tavern for some kriek. When in Belgium...
Love,
Lucy xx
No comments
Post a Comment
Enjoyed this post? Let me know. Leave a comment, or find me on social!
Love, Lucy xx