Brussels- more than just sprouts

Brussels is a pleasantly small but interesting city. If you only have 1/2 hour, you just need to go to Grand Place, and take a dash to see the pissing boy. That is all you need to see to take in the city.

For a start, this is a very very multicultural city.... there is a wide variety of good food.

Food to try: Chocolates!!!! Belgian waffles, traditional belgian food, Belgian beer, French food (apparently, the standards here are really high!), seafood!

But if you have more time, then you could go to one of those touristy alleys teeming with seafood restaurants. Yes, these are tourist traps, but they make severely seafood deprived Londoners happy, especially when there is someone else to pick up the bill. Every shop essentially have the same menu. The Brusselians (is this how you call them??) tell me that there are only two good restaurants in that alley... so you have to choose your restaurant carefully, and go where the locals go!

For some authentic Belgian food, hit the In't Spinnekopke-which means spider's web at 1, Place du Jardin aux Fleurs-1000Bruxelles ( www.spinnekopke.be). You really must make a reservation for this one! There were still huge queues when we left at about 10 pm. The menu was literally huge and in French! However, the waiters speak good english, and you basically have 4 choices if you want something authentically belgian. Chicken, beef, or salmon cooked in creamy sauce, or just mussels in white wine! All are really good! Of course, you have to take these with one of those Belgian beer. They dont call brussels beer city for nothing. This is a beer city, and the stench of urine which greets you at some Metro stations will confirm that is indeed an alcoholic city.

However, my most satisfying meal was at a Chinese la mien restaurant! It was an accidental find. I just say this pregnant woman doing her la mien at a glass window, and i thought she looked really serious, although not too experienced. The la mien did not disappoint me. Really good! Yummy! The soup was really tasty, and i could taste beef stock in it. I finished every drop of it, but did not get any Chinese restaurant syndrome. That was a miracle for someone who is so sensitive to msg! I will usually start to flush and feel nauseous after just a few mouthfuls of soups when eating out. The duck meat turn out really good too, although i was disappointed that it was fried, not roasted. The name of the restaurant is Au Bon Bol, at 9 rue pau devauxstraat, at a street opposite the La Bourse. I was really impressed with these chinese women who spoke excellent French, English, and yes, you can still tell the distinct china accent in their mandarin!


Food pictures to come soon. And by the way, I actually bought souvenirs and presents- and finished spending all my money on my first day here!