I expected to see mind-blowing varieties of lager, the real Belgian waffles, perfect fries, and lots and lots of chocolate, and on these, the city did not disappoint. There was a small shop filled from floor to ceiling with 250 varieties and styles of lager, and that is only half of what the country produces.
The scent of Belgian waffles filled the air wherever we went. Moreover, I learned of two varieties of these delightful treats. The Belgian waffle is a roughly shaped pastry with a toasty exterior and dense, doughy interior. It is served warm with any sweet topping your heart desired. Then there's the Gaufres de Bruxelles which is perfectly rectangular, just like the waffle we know, yet it is airy, flaky, light, and buttery, served cool with a choice of topping or two.
Fries served in cones with five to ten different dipping sauces were abundant. They were perfect little treats, each one crunchy on the outside, starchy on the inside. All were pre-blanched, pre-frozen, and cooked in very hot oil in huge circular fryers.
There were countless chocolate vendors, maisons, shoppes, stores. No matter what the stalls were called, all had mouth watering, elegantly, perfected chocolates. The more known brands like Neuhause, Godiva, or even France's Valrhona were all represented. Others that are local to Brussels like Corne Port-Royale, or Chocopolis were a treat.
I was surprised at how ethnically diverse the city is. Two official languages - French and Dutch - were spoken. Many spoke this unrecognizably pigeon dialect which must have been Flemish, or something. The faces of Brussels are as diverse as the languages we heard spoken. Middle East, India, Eastern Europe were well represented.
We were there for such a short period so the food experience left some things to be desired. With French and Germanic influences the food we tried did not much showcase it. Disclaimer: I am sure if we tried more restaurants and more food in more days, we would have come to something amazing.
In any case, we tried to go local as much as we could. We went to a steak house and had Flemish stew, side of fries. It was very beefy and red-wine-y. Then we went to another local hang out called Drug Opera and tried their take on pizza with cheese and parma ham. Pizza was extremely cheesey and HUGE for a single-person portion. I asked for a cheese plate and what arrived was a big bowl filled with cubed pantry cheese. Nice enough but very unlike the variety-filled cheese plates offered in even the most casual cafes in Paris. Finally, tried a menu item described as toast topped with mince beef and was presented with very thin toast topped with thick raw ground beef. I ate a few bites but as there was about 16 ounces of rare ground beef on my plate, I could not scarf it all down.
The city was small and can be explored thoroughly in a day. The experience was a pleasure, and as Brussels promised, the chocolates, waffles, and pomme frites were divine.
Below are some images of Brussels:
What appears to be what I know as Belgian waffle is in fact a Gaufres de Bruxelles. Light, airy, flaky pastry topped with chantilly.
The origin of Godiva.
Though French the Valrhona shop had to be visited.
Window displays of fine chocolates.
Rows and rows of restaurants served shellfish or steaks.
Can't ignore the abundance of lager. This store had 250 varieties.
Heavenly Belgian Waffles. Toasty, doughy, heavy, and topped with anything and everything.
This was a store of shortbread cookies/biscuits. I had a raspberry filled one.
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