Other places to eat in Brussels

La Cantine de la Ville

We only managed one visit to this place, which seems a shame looking back. The 50s diner look is fab, and the food is simple but tasty. Fine dining this is not, but La Cantine de la Ville is still a great place to go for a relaxed meal and a drink.

Bla Bla

Arty interior and warm atmosphere make this place a must for Sunday brunch. Make sure you're ravenously hungry, and be prepared to splash out on the deluxe brunch option, which gives you access to all three buffet tables.

Carnotzet

This Swiss restaurant has an unavoidably cheesy hum, but you soon forget when your personal pile of delicious cheese salad starter arrives. For his main Yann had thinly sliced rare beef with a steaming pot of broth to cook it in – it was simply amazing. My sausage and mash was also very satisfying. Well done, Carnotzet.

Quick

The francophone take on McDonalds, Quick does what it says on the tin. I find myself unable to condemn this place, given its frankness about its offering, and I am certain that our paths will one day cross again.

A Malte

A contentious one for inclusion in the hot list, I personally loved the cosy, candlelit ambience of this place, but it loses marks for food, given an unfortunate preponderance for loading cheese on top of all the meat dishes. In my opinion, definitely worth another chance.

Lotus Bar

Another respectable Thai restaurant/bar, where house red comes by the litre. Bit more expensive than its counterparts around St. Géry.

Le News Café, rue jourdan

This place is nothing special, but it will do if you're after a beer and a quick bite to eat. I was delighted with my Croque Madame (same as the toasted ham and cheese sandwich that is Croque Monsieur, but with a couple of fried eggs slapped on top).

Belgo Belge

As one of our first dining experiences in Brussels, our memories of Belgo Belge are somewhat scant, with the novelty of dining with Stagiaires from across the continent (Spain, Greece, Poland, UK, Netherlands, Germany and France were certainly represented) overshadowing the actual food. Having said this, my order of pain de viande provoked much discussion around the table as to what it would actually be, before I was served with a plate of delicious meatloaf. Mmm.

Hector Chicken

Fine dining it is not, but Hector Chicken takes greasy fried cuisine to new heights. For those in need of a junk food fix, Hector Chicken is head and shoulders above the rest, complete with attractive terrace next to a motorway.

Fanny Thai

The initial glamour of Fanny Thai has diminished to an extent, given that Thai cuisine is something that Brussels actually does rather well. That said, Fanny Thai is good value tasty food, and merited repeat visits.