Belgium

Indian (I’ll start with my favourite cuisine)

Star of India – Ok, don’t be put off by the neighbourhood, it can look a little seedy. Star has great food (excellent Butter Chicken) and great service (just don’t fall asleep while they dish out your rice). The prices are reasonable and although the portions look on the small side, they are actually just right. I always leave stuffed. We also get take-away from here often. http://www.starofindia.be/uk.htm

Porte des Indes- More expensive than Star, Porte is a real treat for us. The food is fantastic and the atmosphere is … well, a bit over the top really but lovely (ladies get an orchid to take home). The best thing about Porte is the buffet (I know, I know… thoughts of heat lamps and crusty deep fried food – but it isn’t like that at all). The food is fresh and delish. It’s a great way to try new menu items without paying out for something you may not like (haven’t found anything I didn’t like yet though).

Thai

Blue Elephant – Run by the UK company that owns Porte des Indes, Blue Elephant is the Thai version. All the same comments apply, including the buffet.

Les Larmes Du Tigre – Right behind the Palace of Justice, this restaurant is surprisingly large when you enter. The décor is bold and interesting and there is a wide variety of dishes on the menu. Reasonable prices and tasty food make it a must try.

Moroccan

La Kasbah – Very fun atmosphere (I want their lamps) and great food with huge portions. The couscous is great and the chicken tajine I’m sure has a whole bottle of olives in it. Yum! Great service and reasonable prices.

Spanish

Comocomo – Ok this isn’t the world’s best tapas, but I still like this place. It’s great if you don’t want a whole lot to eat. The tapas goes by on a conveyor and you pick off what you would like. When you’re done, they count up the plates and you pay. They do have a great Spanish wine list here as well.

El Pintxo – This is actually an Antwerp restaurant and a bit on the pricy side for tapas but it is well worth it. The food is divine and the atmosphere is friendly. Great wine here too.

Fusion & The Rest

Citizen – This one is thanks to Andreea. It’s small and modern and the food is fun. There are curries and stir-fries as well as a good drink selection. While you eat you can watch a movie projected on to their wall.

Cook & Book – Not exactly fusion per se but a collection of restaurants under one roof. You can read my full write up here. The 4 cheese ravioli with truffle oil is divine. 

Chai & Bar – Not exactly food but I have to add it as a favourite spot. This is a wine bar and shop with excellent service and fantastic wines at good prices.

Belgian

‘T Cuyperke - This is our ‘local’ (ok it’s in Zaventem but close enough) hangout. The service is great. The food is whatever is in season. The portions are big and you always get a little amuse bouche to start with. My favourite is the Scampi van de Huis (Scampi of the house – grilled shrimp in a lobster cream sauce with pasta – delish)

Orange – This is also pretty close to us. It’s a bit pricy but has a very trendy atmosphere … and really how can you go wrong at a place named for my favourite colour?

L’Arrosoir – (translates to The watering can) This is a tiny restaurant in an old greenhouse. The atmosphere is warm and intimate and the food is divine. The lamb and duck dishes are always a favourite. Great desserts too!

Fly Tox – This restaurant is also in Zaventem and is great for your typical steak and Frites. Delish!

Les Deux Frères – This is my newest favourite. The do a potatoes dauphinoises to die for. Fun, Quirky atmosphere and really great food.

Nostra - Literally just up the street from us sits Nostra in a converted barn. The interior is beautiful with exposed beams and lovely neutral décor. The food is hearty and delicious with a side of Belgian Frites.

Caméléon Citron – Right next door to T’ Cuyperke, this restaurant is a bit less casual but with equally good food. They even have two real chameleons in a terrarium!

Pizza 

Mamma Roma –This pizza is great and sold by weight instead of by the slice. The downside is you never know what kind of pizza they will have when you get there … the upside is you never know what kind of pizza they will have when you get there.

Vegetarian

Lukemieke – This one is in Leuven and is like eating at a friend’s house. You get a little bit of everything and it’s all tasty. They also have a nice little patio in the summer.

Soul – This restaurant is macrobiotic rather than strictly veggie but they have a great selection of veggie and meat dishes. The food is always fresh and very good and the daily menu always has something interesting on offer. I really love the lentil dishes!


Of course, not all of my favourite restaurants are in Belgium. Below are some of the other places I’ve had the pleasure of eating and would definitely return to.

Amsterdam

Los Pilones – Mexican – I would say this is quite possibly my favourite restaurant period. It is run by two Mexican brothers and it is full every night. It’s pretty small, the deco is chaotic and fun and it is the best food anywhere. If you like Mexican food, you can’t miss this place. I recommend the enchiladas verdes, the flautas to start, a heaping helping of guacamole and a mango daiquiri to wash it down.

Green Planet – A great little organic, vegetarian restaurant. The menu isn’t big but everything is good and there are several daily specials to choose from. The homemade bread and dips are a great way to start.

Kantjil & de Tijger – Indonesian – two words; rijs tafle (rice table) a whole bunch of dishes and a whole lot of goodness. It’s crowed, noisy and full of tourists but the food is delicious. Tip – don’t eat all day before you go.

France

Auberge des Roy – ( St. Aquilin de Pacy) We went to this restaurant on the advice of the B&B owner we were staying with near Giverny. This is as French as you can get. The owner is the chef and his wife is the hostess. Their speciality of the house is foie gras. Enough Said.

La Fourchette – (Avignon) – The interior of this restaurant is quirky to say the least but the food is magnificent. Traditional French fare and great wine at decent prices.

L’Oustalet – (Gigondas) – This might be a favourite more for the setting than the food but I can think of nothing more perfect – a hot spring afternoon, a shady patio facing the quaint village square which overlooks province, a bottle of chilled rosé, and a divine lunch. Perfection.

Phra Thai – (Pau) – A really marvellous interior and equally fantastic Thai food. That’s really all that needs to be said.

La Bejamine – (Monein, near Pau) – Ok, confession, this is not really a restaurant but my favourite B&B in the world. If I’m talking about dining experiences though, eating Cedric’s cooking deserves to be on this list. Everything he makes is fresh, stunning to look at and even better to eat. I have tried more things that I swore I would never eat, simply because Cedric made them, and of course, they were delicious. Read all about our stays at La Bejamine, here and here.

Italy

Al Sile Trattoria – This restaurant is in a village between Venice and Treviso. It was so amazing we went two nights in a row. The owner, Nicola, personally waited on us and recited the entire menu for us. We asked for his recommendations and were never disappointed. This is rural Italian cooking at its best. Fresh, plentiful and delicious.

Finland

Romanov – This is a Russian restaurant in the heart of Helsinki. It’s on the pricy side but it’s a definite treat. It’s a meat lover’s heaven. The flavours were unlike anything I have eaten before. The flavoured vodkas were worth the visit in their own right too.

Spain

Pla de la Garsa – While you can eat well all over Barcelona, this restaurant stood out as unique. The food is traditional, rustic Spanish. It’s meaty, rich and hearty. The interior is one of the oldest buildings in the city and the namesake spiral staircase is lovely. It’s worth a trip to the loo just to check out the amazing sink. Be brave when you order and let the server choose for you. You won’t be disappointed by anything.

Canada

Of course I have some favourites form home too. These are the places that are on my must visit list when we make a trip home. Not all of them are fine dining experiences, but rather just the comfort of the familiar. These are all in Halifax as that’s where we’ve done most of our dining out. (Of course nothing says home like Mom’s cooking).

 

Sushi Shige – Two words, Sushi Pizza. It may sound wrong but it is not pizza as you know it and it is heaven. I could eat about four of these… oh, and the sushi here is damn fine too.

Baan Thai – Best Thai food I’ve had so far. I still haven’t found anything anywhere to match their Basil Beef.

The Fireside – This is an old favourite from our university days. We even went there with friends after our wedding. It’s a cosy atmosphere with cushy sofas, lots of fireplaces and tasty food. The martinis and desserts alone make it worth a visit.

Hamachi Steakhouse – A trip to this restaurant is always a special occasion. It’s a bit pricy but well worth it. You sit at a grill table and the chef prepares your meal right in front of you. The food is incredible and there is a lively theatrical aspect to the preparation.

Sweet Basil – As close as you can get to Canadian cuisine – fresh, local ingredients prepared in a fusion style. A cosy little restaurant close to the waterfront.

Cheapside – In the Art Gallery and only open at lunchtime, Cheapside is run by the people who run Sweet Basil. It is cheap as the name implies, but you certainly don’t feel like you’re eating cheap food. As fresh and delicious as Sweet Basil with incredible desserts.

Epicurious Morsels – In the Hydrostone market. Great brunches. Fresh tasty food in a nice atmosphere.

Vines – Vines is actually in Dartmouth but we won’t hold that against them. This Italian restaurant is in a converted house and the food is plentiful and tasty. I have a particular affinity for their soups.

Lonestar – Not fine dining but a regular haunt for Andrew and I when we lived almost across the street. This is tex-mex and it’s big and good. They make their own nacho chips. Enough Said.

Mexico Lindo – This is real Mexican and a new discovery on my last visit home. It’s an unassuming little place but beware, fail to make reservations and you may just miss out. It’s a busy spot because it’s authentic, inexpensive and very, very good.

Tarek’s Café – This little Middle Eastern spot has the best falafels ever.

Pizza Town - garlic fingers, oh how I miss thee.