Author Archives: Best of Brussels

Mar 27 2013
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Notes

Hello, anyone there?

This post is long overdue. It’s been more than a month since my last update to this blog so apologies if you thought I had fallen off the face of the earth. But trust me, I’ve got a couple of good reasons for my absence of late.

As mentioned in my New Year’s resolution post, I started a new job in January which has kept me pretty busy over the past couple of months. There’s another bit of news that has slowed me down recently as well – I’m pregnant! I’m due in early June so am almost 7 months along (yikes!), which is making life more challenging by the day. The second trimester was pretty good but these days I’m feeling more like Elizabeth Banks in What to Expect When You’re Expecting.

And to top it all off, we are moving house. Like I needed one more thing contributing to stress and fatigue levels at the moment! So hopefully you can excuse me for not posting over the past few weeks. :)

I promise that I’ll be back soon to write about the best of Brussels and my favourite things in this city. In the meantime, you can find me over on  Twitter and Facebook where I’ll keep sharing all sorts of Brussels goodness that I come across. And if you’re going through any of the above (hopefully not all at the same time like me), here are a few links to help you out.

If you’re new to Brussels or just have a new job…

LinkedIn Expats Networking in Brussels group

International Young Women Partnership

Young Professionals in Foreign Policy

Newcomers to Brussels

or having a baby in Brussels…

Brussels Baby Book (also see the Facebook page)

Brussels Childbirth Trust (I’ve signed up for their prenatal classes)

Antenatal and Baby (classes, midwifery services, support group)

or if you’re moving…

Online list of moving companies and a moving checklist (we’re using Scholts)

Thanks for understanding and see you all back here soon!

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Feb 22 2013
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Food & Drink

Foodie Fridays – El Turco

If you work in the Place Luxembourg area, you are likely already familiar with El Turco. Having just started a new job in the neighborhood, it was a welcome discovery after years of cafeteria eating. Located on Rue du Trone just around the corner from Place de Londres, El Turco is a cross between a high-quality deli, restaurant and bar. Similar to others in my office, I’ve quickly become a fan, stopping by at least once a week.

As the name suggests, the food (and I’m assuming the owner as well) is Turkish. Laid out in a self-service buffet, the various cold and hot dishes change daily and offer a wide variety of choice. The website describes the food as “Mediterranean cuisine with Ottoman influences”. Sounds pretty good to me.

El Turco Brussels

I’m partial to the humus, grilled aubergine, fresh salads and usually go for one of the hot dishes, like chicken or lamb on the side. They also have delicious prepared items like feta cheese in pastry and vegetable tarte which are hard to resist. They even have typical Turkish bread like you would find sold on the streets of Istanbul.

Once you’ve filled your plate, or take-away box, and reached the cash register, the payment is simple – the cost is based on weight. They have a selection of drinks and a few desserts to choose from as well. If you decide to eat in, you can always go back for seconds, which is tempting as everything I’ve tried to date has been delicious. In total, I usually pay around €10, depending on how hungry I am on a particular day. :) Not cheap for lunch, but worth every bite.

El Turco Brussels

If you’re looking for something different for a meeting (who else never wants to see an open-faced sandwich again?), El Turco offers catering and lunchbox delivery. The cold mezze buffet is €12 per person, with a supplement of €3 per person for hot food. The lunchbox is a pretty good deal at €9 per person, which includes 5 cold mezze and 2 warm dishes (minimum of 5 boxes for delivery).

The kitchen is open all week for lunch and also for dinner from Wednesday to Friday. There’s currently a special deal running for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights – an all you can eat buffet for €20. They also can open on Monday and Saturday nights for group reservations (minimum 30 people).

El Turco Brussels

As mentioned, El Turco also has a bar, which is located in the back of the restaurant (or via Place de Londres entrance). I’ve not yet gone for an after work drink, but it would be a good place to stop between the office and the metro after a long day. They have live music on Friday nights to liven the mood. Check out their Facebook page for upcoming events.

Afiyet olsun! (That’s bon appetit in Turkish, at least according to Google translate :) )

73 Rue du Trone (6 Place de Londres), 1050 Ixelles
Tel: +32 2 503 3648
Open: Kitchen – Monday to Friday, 11am-3pm, Wednesday to Friday, 6-10pm; Bar – Tuesday to Friday, 5pm to late

Images via El Turco.

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Feb 20 2013
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Entertainment, Wellness & Beauty

Bike Fun

Do you ride a bike in Brussels? If so, I’ve come across a couple of ways to make your daily ride around town a bit more fun.

The street style blog phenomenon has exploded in recent years (think The Sartorialist). So the website Belgium Cycle Chic, which started a couple of years ago, is right on trend. The blog features pictures and stories of interesting and stylish people on bikes around the country as a way to express street style, fashion and bicycle culture. The site was inspired by Copenhagen Cycle Chic, a concept which has spread to several cities and countries around the world, including bicycle capital Amsterdam.

Belgium Cycle Chic

Everyone is welcome to send in their photos of bike street style. So if you’re part of the scene, and maybe need a little motivation to look good on your bike, send your shots and a little description to info[a]cyclechic.be. You never know, you might be featured in the next post!

Belgium Cycle Chic

Another way to have some fun with your bike is to join the Brussels Bike Tag game. Started by Sebastien Pepinster who discovered the idea while living in Paris, the project aims to encourage people to ride bikes a bit more in winter and also discover the city along the way. So how does it work?

Brussels Bike Tag

It’s just like a game of tag. First, head over to the project’s Facebook page to see where the last photo of someone’s bike was taken. Your aim is to find the location in Brussels, take a picture of your bike in the same spot and then take a photo of your bike in a new place in the city (ideally in a different commune). Next upload your two photos to the Facebook page by creating a new album with the tag number and your name. See the page description for more details about how to participate.

Brussels Bike Tag

The goal is to reach 200 tags of different places around Brussels. The game is currently at number 102 (when this was posted), so there’s still plenty of time to play along. The winner will be randomly selected from participants who posted a valid tag. The more times you tag your bike, the more chance you have to win! I couldn’t find any details about the prizes, but I’m sure they will be bike related. And really, the idea is just to have a little fun!

Good luck to all of you on bikes this winter. Stay safe and warm!

And for some more cycling info fun, check out previous posts here and here.

Images via Belgium Cycle Chic and Brussels Bike Tag.

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Feb 14 2013
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Food & Drink, Shopping

Sweet Treats

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! I hope that was sufficiently enthusiastic? Today is not one of my favorite holidays (and I know I’m not alone here). But despite my belief that Valentine’s is a commercially driven celebration, JessinBelgium has convinced me otherwise with her research on the subject. So with a positive view on all things love, here are my top picks for where to find a last-minute sweet treat for your sweetie (or yourself) in Brussels.

The no-fail option – Pierre Marcolini. Although they are a bit more expensive than your average box of chocolates, Marcolinis in their sleek black packaging are top-of-the-line Belgian chocolates and will always impress. The regular variety box includes classic and more adventurous flavors (like Earl Grey tea), and I’m sure they have some special offers for Valentine’s Day. Besides the flagship store on Sablon, you can also find them at Rob supermarket, the Midi train station or the Marcolini stores in Uccle and Woluwe.

Pierre Marcolini

1 Rue des Minimes, Place du Grand Sablon, 1000 Brussels
Tel : +32 2 514 12 06
Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 10am-7pm, Friday and Saturday, 10am-8pm

Something a little different – Laurent Gerbaud. This up-and-coming chocolatier has gathered inspiration travelling through Asia, especially China, and incorporates several unusual flavors and ingredients with Belgian chocolate to make for a unique treat. Located in a small shop across from BOZAR, Laurent is often in the atelier himself, whipping up a fresh batch and chatting with customers. Another recent discovery is Alex & Alex, a champagne and chocolate bar just off the Sablon. They do lovely pairings of bubbly and hand-made chocolates, which in my book would make a great Valentine’s gift.

Laurent Gerbaud

2D Rue Ravenstein, 1000 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)2 511 16 02
Hours: Monday-Sunday, 10:30am-7:30pm

For non-chocolate lovers – Maison Dandoy. If you’re looking for something sweet that isn’t made from cocoa, cookies (biscuits) from Dandoy are the way to go. Set up in 1829 by Jean-Baptiste Dandoy, the original shop is still located near the Grand Place and filled to the brim with different flavor speculoos and other types of cookies. There are six other locations around the city, including Brugmann, Sablon and Uccle. Another good option is a box of macaroons from the famous French pâtissière Ladurée. Although we don’t have a shop in Brussels, the store People Concept downtown (14 rue du Lombard) sells them. The Paul bakery chain also does a nice assortment of macaroons.

Dandoy

31 Rue au Beurre, 1000 Brussels
Tel: +32 2 511 03 26
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 8:30am-7pm

So enjoy something sweet today and spread the love!

Images via ETVonWeb, Discover Kiosk and New York Serious Eats.

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